Foundation Leads National Campaign to End Fake Drugs, Counterfeit Alcohol in Nigeria

Sunday Ehigiator

In response to Nigeria’s worsening public health crisis, the Samuel Olutuyi Foundation (SOF) has launched a nationwide campaign to tackle the deadly spread of fake drugs and counterfeit alcoholic beverages, describing the menace as “a silent epidemic claiming lives across the country.”

Through its SOF Community Health Programme, the Foundation is mobilising citizens, regulators, and policymakers to unite against the circulation of substandard medical and alcoholic products that have continued to devastate households nationwide.

Speaking through a statement yesterday, the Executive Director of the Foundation, Mr. Olajide Olutuyi, noted that: “Fake drugs and counterfeit beverages pose a serious threat to our society. Although medical intervention is not the Foundation’s core focus, we cannot look away when the health and lives of Nigerians are in danger. When the health of the people is at risk, we must act.

“According to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), an estimated 16 per cent of drugs in circulation in Nigeria are either fake or substandard.

“Independent analysts, however, put the figure closer to 50 per cent in regions with weak enforcement. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reports that about half a million people die every year in sub-Saharan Africa due to falsified or substandard medicines, many linked to fake antibiotics, malaria treatments, and painkillers.

“The crisis extends beyond pharmaceuticals. Nigeria is witnessing a surge in methanol poisoning caused by illegal alcohol production. Methanol, an industrial solvent, is often mixed with ethanol to produce counterfeit liquor, leading to blindness, organ failure, or death.

“In October 2025, the UK Foreign Office updated its travel advisory to include Nigeria among countries with a ‘high risk of methanol poisoning’ following a series of deaths linked to fake alcohol. This is a national emergency hiding in plain sight.

“Beyond the staggering death toll, the economic and social consequences are devastating. The trade in counterfeit products drains the nation’s economy, erodes public trust in the healthcare system, and forces hospitals to divert scarce resources to treat poisoning and treatment failures.

“Families already burdened by inflation and unemployment now face crushing medical bills, loss of income, and grief from preventable deaths.

“In a bid to stem the crisis, the SOF has unveiled a national intervention plan that focuses on awareness, advocacy, and community health integration.

“Through town hall meetings, radio programmes, market outreaches, and media partnerships, the Foundation is raising public awareness on how to identify genuine drugs, verify NAFDAC registration numbers, and avoid unverified drink sources.

“It is also lobbying for stronger penalties against offenders, improved coordination among NAFDAC, Customs, and law enforcement agencies, and the creation of dedicated task forces to monitor high-risk markets.

“At the community level, the Foundation is embedding the initiative within its broader mission to strengthen local health systems through preventive education and grassroots mobilisation.

“This is more than just a project; it’s a moral obligation. Every Nigerian deserves to live in a country where the medicine they take heals them, not harms them.”

The Foundation has also outlined several policy recommendations, including the enactment of comprehensive anti-counterfeiting laws with stiffer penalties, tighter border inspection and monitoring, continuous nationwide public education, and stronger support for licensed retailers to encourage patronage of certified pharmacies and beverage distributors.

It is also advocating wider access to NAFDAC’s Mobile Authentication Service (MAS), which allows consumers to verify products instantly via SMS or barcode.