Oluwafunbi Bello 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have intensified regulatory oversight across Nigeria’s free trade zones to combat the spread of counterfeit drugs and substandard consumables.
The agreement follows a high-level meeting on Thursday in Abuja between NAFDAC Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye, and NEPZA Managing Director, Olufemi Ogunyemi.
Officials say the renewed collaboration aims to strengthen inspections, compliance checks and quality control measures within the country’s expanding free trade zones.
“We must view this meeting as a responsibility we owe the country to protect citizens from fake drugs and consumables infiltrating our markets,” Adeyeye says.
She warns that counterfeit pharmaceutical products remain a major public health threat and stresses the need for tighter enforcement mechanisms across production and distribution chains.
Ogunyemi says NEPZA will fully support NAFDAC’s regulatory operations to prevent criminal elements from exploiting free trade zones for unlawful activities.
“We need a joint effort to address some of the irregularities. We will allow NAFDAC to perform its regulatory functions because the public’s health depends on it,” he says.
According to NEPZA, Nigeria currently operates 63 free trade zones hosting more than 900 enterprises.
The agencies also announce the establishment of an eight-member technical committee tasked with improving enforcement coordination, regulatory monitoring and information sharing.
Analysts say stronger oversight within free zones could help reduce the circulation of fake drugs, improve consumer safety and strengthen investor confidence in Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector.
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Korede Abdullah 
