NAFDAC

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), was established by Decree 15 of 1993 as amended by Decree 19 of 1999 and now Act Cap N1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004, to regulate and control the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, chemicals, medical devices and packaged water (known as regulated products).

 

Functions
In accordance with the enabling laws, NAFDAC is authorised to:
• Regulate and control the importation, exportation, manufacture, advertisement, distribution, sale and use of regulated products. 
• Conduct appropriate tests and ensure compliance with standard specifications. 
• Undertake appropriate investigation of the production premises and raw materials of regulated products. 
• Compile standard specifications, regulations, and guidelines for the production, importation, exportation, sale and distribution of regulated products.
• Control the exportation and issue quality certification of regulated products intended for export. 
• Establish and maintain relevant laboratories for the performance of its functions.
• Ensure that the use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances are limited to medical and scientific use only.
• Undertake the registration of food, drugs, medical devices, bottled water and chemicals. 
• Undertake inspection of imported regulated products.
• Pronounce on the quality and safety of regulated products after appropriate analysis.

We are committed to ensure that we take a holistic approach in the discharge of our regulatory functions.

The agency is carrying out public enlightenment campaigns and sensitisation workshops to further educate and increase awareness about certain critical issues that impact on our success. Efforts are being intensified to beef up our regulatory capacity through trainings and upgrading of our surveillance systems.

In our determination to bring international standards to bear on our activities, we have declared zero tolerance to counterfeiting. Counterfeiting of regulated products has remained a major challenge in our environment.

NAFDAC is currently spearheading the global effort in the use of cutting-edge technologies to fight counterfeiting. We are the first Medicine Regulatory Agency to deploy Truscan, a hand held device to detect counterfeit medicines on the spot.  

We are also running a Pilot Mobile Anti-counterfeiting System which uses text messaging technology to put the power of detecting counterfeits in the hands of the consumers. 
NAFDAC collaborates with a number of Government Agencies and Civil Society Organizations including Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigeria Custom Service (NCS), Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN), Association of Food Beverages and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE), to name a few.

The need to build on our international collaboration we feel is key to enable us share and exchange information as well as learn from best practices in other agencies.

The agency is working closely with other nations and International Organisations to build and foster International Cooperation. These include India, Peoples Republic of China, USA, Canada, Ghana, United Kingdom, UNICEF, World Health Organisation (WHO), European Union, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Department For International Development (DFID), Partnership For Transforming Health Systems (PATHS), Micronutrient Initiative (MI) and the Global Alliance For Improved Nutrition (GAIN)