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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Energy & Infrastructure

Customs Seize Over 580,000 Unregistered Medicines at Kano Airport

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Nigeria Customs Service seized over 580,000 unregistered pharmaceutical products at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.
  • The seizure included various tablets, injections, eye drops, and inhaler canisters, intercepted on June 9, 2026.
  • The unregistered medicines were handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further action.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a substantial cache of over 580,000 unregistered pharmaceutical products at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano. The seizure, made by the Kano/Jigawa Area Command, is part of an ongoing intelligence-driven operation aimed at preventing potentially harmful and uncertified medicines from entering the Nigerian market.

The interception underscores the commitment of the NCS to protecting public health and strengthening collaboration with regulatory agencies in combating the influx of illicit and uncertified pharmaceutical products into the country.

— Usman AdamuThe Acting Customs Area Controller highlighted the NCS's role in safeguarding public health.

The intercepted items, discovered on June 9, 2026, at the SAHCO Shed of the airport, were subjected to a joint examination by NCS and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) officials. The examination confirmed that the products lacked the mandatory registration and certification required for importation and distribution within Nigeria. The consignment comprised 575,440 tablets of various medicaments, 5,415 injections, 1,075 bottles of eye drops, and 243 inhaler canisters.

Usman Adamu, the Acting Customs Area Controller, emphasized the NCS's commitment to public health and inter-agency collaboration in combating the influx of illicit pharmaceutical products. "The interception underscores the commitment of the NCS to protecting public health and strengthening collaboration with regulatory agencies in combating the influx of illicit and uncertified pharmaceutical products into the country," Adamu stated.

The products were found to be unregistered and therefore not approved for circulation in Nigeria. Their interception is part of our ongoing efforts to safeguard the health and well-being of Nigerians.

— Usman AdamuAdamu explained the reason for the seizure and its importance.

Receiving the seized items, Azik Kanadi, Assistant Director in NAFDAC’s Ports Inspection Directorate in Kano, commended the Customs Service for the significant interception. Kanadi warned importers against bringing unregistered medicines into the country, highlighting the serious health risks posed by drugs that have not undergone regulatory evaluation. NAFDAC reiterated its commitment to working closely with Customs and other agencies to prevent the circulation of unsafe medicines and ensure only approved products reach the Nigerian market.

NAFDAC will remain committed to working closely with Customs and other relevant agencies to prevent the circulation of unsafe medicines and ensure that only approved pharmaceutical products are available in the Nigerian market.

— Azik KanadiKanadi assured continued collaboration between NAFDAC and Customs to protect consumers.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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