NAFDAC seals supermarkets and cosmetics shops in Abuja for selling fake, expired, and unregistered products worth over N170m, protecting public health.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has carried out a decisive enforcement exercise in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, where it sealed two Chinese-owned supermarkets and eight cosmetics shops over the sale of fake, expired, and unregistered products.
The operation highlights the seriousness with which the regulator is tackling consumer safety issues across Nigeria. Indeed, this is not the first time NAFDAC seals supermarkets and markets, but the scale of the Abuja crackdown has attracted significant public attention.
The sealed supermarkets were located on Mike Akhigbe Way and Ebitu Ukiwe Street in Jabi District.
According to NAFDAC officials, the enforcement followed weeks of surveillance triggered by consumer complaints.
Investigators discovered that both supermarkets were stocking food products labeled only in Chinese, which is a direct violation of Nigerian regulations.
By law, every food, drug, or cosmetic sold in Nigeria must be labeled in English, with clear details about ingredients, expiration dates, and usage instructions.
This rule ensures that consumers can make informed choices and are not misled about what they are purchasing. Products found in these supermarkets, however, completely ignored this safety requirement.
During the operation, the management of the Ebitu Ukiwe Street supermarket denied the allegations, but NAFDAC officials caught the outlet in full operation, selling unregistered goods.
The agency later confirmed that goods worth several millions of naira were confiscated as evidence.
The enforcement action did not stop at supermarkets. In Wuse Market, one of Abuja’s busiest commercial centers, NAFDAC sealed eight cosmetics shops for selling expired, banned, and unregistered products.
These items included a range of skin whitening creams, body enhancement products, and unregulated aphrodisiacs.
Alarmingly, the agency discovered that some of the sellers posed as dermatologists and pharmacists to convince unsuspecting buyers into purchasing harmful products.
Among the items seized were Wenicks Capsules, Maxman Capsules, Boobs Enlargement supplements, Curvy Weight Gain products, and Skin Whitening Vitamin Gummies.
NAFDAC stressed that such products are dangerous to health, often containing toxic substances or undeclared ingredients.
The operation was part of NAFDAC’s ongoing campaign to rid the Nigerian market of substandard and fake products. According to the agency’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, protecting consumers is at the heart of NAFDAC’s mission.
She explained that when people consume unregistered or mislabeled items, they are exposed to risks such as kidney failure, liver damage, hormonal imbalance, and even cancer.
She added that counterfeit and fake products also threaten Nigeria’s economy because they discourage legitimate manufacturers who adhere to the law.
“Our agency cannot allow dangerous products to circulate unchecked. NAFDAC seals supermarkets and shops whenever we find violations, not to punish businesses, but to safeguard Nigerian lives,” she said.
Experts warn that many unregistered cosmetics, body enhancement drugs, and aphrodisiacs contain harmful chemicals.
For instance, some whitening creams rely on high doses of mercury and hydroquinone, which can cause long-term damage to the skin and internal organs.
Similarly, many so-called enlargement and sexual performance supplements are laced with steroids or untested substances.
Consumers who rely on such products often do so without medical supervision, making them even more vulnerable to severe side effects.
This is why regulatory vigilance remains essential, and why NAFDAC seals supermarkets and cosmetics outlets found guilty of such practices.
Officials confirmed that the Abuja raid led to the seizure of goods valued at more than N170 million. The confiscated items will be subjected to further analysis before being destroyed, while the owners of the sealed outlets may face prosecution.
Depending on investigations, they could also be banned from reopening their businesses.
This, according to NAFDAC, should serve as a warning to other traders who may be tempted to cut corners at the expense of consumer health.
The Abuja crackdown is part of a wider, ongoing campaign across Nigeria. Similar operations have been conducted in Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, and Onitsha, where NAFDAC enforcement teams sealed shops and warehouses for storing unregistered or counterfeit goods.
The regulator has also strengthened its presence at Nigeria’s entry points—airports, seaports, and land borders—to intercept illegal products before they reach markets.
These combined efforts reflect NAFDAC’s determination to ensure that only safe and properly registered goods are available to Nigerians.
NAFDAC has urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and to always check for the agency’s registration number before buying consumables, medicines, or cosmetics.
Consumers are also encouraged to report suspicious shops or products to the agency through official hotlines.
“Enforcement cannot succeed without public cooperation. If you see something wrong in the market, report it. Together we can fight fake products,” the agency appealed.
The Abuja operation once again demonstrates the agency’s resolve to protect consumers. By sealing two Chinese-owned supermarkets and eight cosmetics shops, and seizing products worth N170 million, NAFDAC has sent a strong message that it will not tolerate fake, expired, or unregistered goods in Nigeria.
For consumers, the enforcement exercise offers reassurance that their health and safety remain top priorities. For traders, it is a stern reminder that regulatory shortcuts will not go unpunished.
At the heart of this operation is a clear message: NAFDAC seals supermarkets and cosmetics shops not out of hostility, but out of a duty to protect millions of Nigerians from dangerous and life-threatening products.
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