Nigeria’s Fake Drugs Crisis: ACPN Warns Over 50% of Medicines Substandard

Pharmacists operating under the umbrella of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) have sounded an urgent alarm to the Nigerian public, warning that as much as half of the drugs available in circulation are counterfeit or fall below acceptable quality standards.

The National Chairman of the ACPN, Pharmacist Ambrose Igwekamma Ezeh, shared this disturbing revelation in a press release ahead of the association’s 44th annual national conference. The statement, which was made accessible to LMSINT MEDIA on Friday evening, emphasized the seriousness of the issue.

Ezeh highlighted that the continuous flood of substandard and falsified medicines, along with unwholesome foods and beverages, has grown into a deeply concerning challenge for the nation in recent times. He observed with regret that at present, well over 50% of the pharmaceutical products circulating throughout Nigeria are either fake or below the required standard.

He went on to point out the devastating consequences of counterfeit medicines on individuals, families, and society as a whole. Beyond the well-known risks associated with consuming fake pharmaceutical products, Ezeh drew attention to the escalating problem of counterfeit drinks, which he described as being driven by ruthless profiteers whom he referred to as “modern-day merchants of death.”

According to the ACPN chairman, this trend is not only dangerous but requires immediate intervention. He therefore urged the National Assembly to quickly amend the existing legislation on counterfeit drugs and the regulation of unwholesome food items. Ezeh stressed that such a legislative adjustment is critical if Nigeria hopes to curb this persistent public health threat.

“Our consistent and research-driven findings demonstrate that we have returned to a time when over half of drugs circulating in the country are fake or substandard, a reality far worse than the official figures that place it between 13% and 15%,” Ezeh remarked, underscoring the alarming gap between research data and officially quoted statistics.

His comments reinforce the pressing need for stronger regulation and monitoring of the pharmaceutical and food industries. With the health of countless Nigerians at stake, Ezeh’s appeal to lawmakers carries an urgent message that can no longer be ignored. It is a call for decisive policy action to shield the nation from the deadly consequences of counterfeit and substandard products.