NAFDAC Warns Retailers: Compliance or Crisis in Regulated Markets

|By Adejumo Adekunle –

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has urged businesses to prioritize strict adherence to health and safety regulations, highlighting the risks of non-compliance with laws governing regulated products.

Speaking at the 2024 African Retail Congress in Lagos, NAFDAC Director-General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by Northwest Zone Director Nantin Dadi, emphasized the critical need for accurate branding and proper handling of products like processed foods, medicines, cosmetics, and chemicals.

“Every product has a law that regulates it,” Dadi stated, urging retailers to familiarize themselves with both local and international standards for manufacturing, storage, and distribution.

Dadi issued a stark warning about the financial consequences of non-compliance. “One knowledgeable officer can disrupt your entire distribution network, close you down, and cost you up to N20 million in just one week,” he cautioned.

He advised retailers expanding into new markets to conduct thorough regulatory mapping. “Identify all relevant regulators, from NAFDAC to the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria. Understanding their requirements will help you avoid costly disruptions,” he said.

This call to action reinforces NAFDAC’s commitment to ensuring businesses operate within legal frameworks to protect public health and safety.