Customs Reaffirms Commitment to Public Health Through Robust Enforcement Actions
…Hands Over ₦9.2bn Worth of Seized Unregistered Drugs to NAFDAC
By Lucy Nyambi
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has reiterated the unwavering commitment of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to safeguarding public health through robust enforcement actions.
He made this known on Friday, 11 July 2025, during the formal handover of 25 containers of seized unregistered and prohibited pharmaceutical products to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) at the Apapa Port.
The containers, intercepted in various anti-smuggling operations, comprise a range of illicit items including counterfeit medications, codeine-based syrups, fake NAFDAC-labelled drugs, expired food items, and cosmetic products, all with a Duty Paid Value of over ₦9.2 billion.
“This ceremonial handover is another tangible result of our joint commitment with NAFDAC following the signing of our Memorandum of Understanding in November 2024. The seizures represent a sophisticated network of criminal enterprises exploiting regulatory gaps to compromise our national health security”, the CGC stated.
Details of the seized items include; sexual enhancement drugs such as REDSUN and HYEGRA sildenafil citrate products, codeine-containing cough syrups including CSC brands, antibiotic injections like oxytetracycline and artesunate, pain relief medications containing diclofenac sodium and paracetamol, skin lightening creams marketed as GBOGBONISE and SKIN CHEMIST, hip and breast enlargement products, and various tablets bearing fake NAFDAC registration numbers.
The seizures also include expired food products such as margarine and chocolate, veterinary medications including albendazole bolus tablets, antimalarial drugs like artepharm-artequick, and consumer goods such as crusader soap, reflecting a sophisticated and diversified contraband portfolio that poses significant threats to public health, consumer safety, and regulatory integrity.
In line with ongoing reforms, the CGC announced a policy review restricting pharmaceutical imports to only four approved ports: Apapa, Onne, MMIA Lagos and PTML. He noted that bonded terminals will no longer be allowed to clear pharmaceutical consignments.
“Henceforth, pharmaceutical products will not be allowed into any of those bonded terminals to enhance the effective implementation of these policies. Any pharmaceutical product must be cleared, duties must be paid, inspection must be made at the ports that I earlier mentioned”, he affirmed.
Reflecting on his recent election as Chairperson of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), CGC Adeniyi described the appointment as a global recognition of Nigeria’s reform trajectory. “It means that the global customs community have been noticing what is going on in Nigeria, and it also means that they have endorsed the reforms and modernisation that we have been undertaking, and more importantly, the operational use that we have made of the various WCO tools.”
The CGC extended appreciation to the international community, local stakeholders, and officers and men of the Service who, according to him, “embraced the reforms wholeheartedly and have ensured their full implementation.
