Lagos NAFDAC raid uncovers fake antibiotic packaging and unregistered cosmetics

Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) raided the Trade Fair Complex in Lagos on Saturday, seizing suspected counterfeit drug packaging materials and unregistered cosmetics. Acting on intelligence reports, officers found packaging bearing the names of well-known antibiotics at a location in the complex's Tools and Hardware section, which the agency suspects was a storage point for fake drug packaging.

Antibiotic packaging did not match the original design

In enforcement videos posted on its official X account, NAFDAC displayed packaging bearing the names Augmentin 625mg (amoxicillin-clavulanate) and Ampliclox capsules, including leaflets, and items associated with Gordon drinks were also found at the location. The agency said the Augmentin packaging differed from the original design used by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the pharmaceutical company behind the product, and that the items were not produced by the original manufacturers.

Unregistered cosmetics with no labelling or registration

In a separate discovery, the agency recovered materials suspected to be connected to the production and packaging of cosmetics that lacked proper labelling and registration, including unidentified soap, empty shampoo tubes, packaging inscribed "Turmeric Vitamin C" and containers labelled for moisturising lotion. NAFDAC has repeatedly warned that unregistered cosmetics can contain harmful chemicals and cause skin damage, and urged the public to report suspicious products to its nearest office. Sources: TheBullPost; NNU (citing Channels Television and NAFDAC's official X account).