Abuja, Nigeria – Nigeria’s drug regulatory authority has dismissed claims circulating online that Amoxicillin has been banned for sale or use in the country, describing the allegation as false and misleading. The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said no such ban exists and warned the public against relying on unverified social media content for health-related information.
In a statement issued on February 9, 2026, NAFDAC clarified that it does not impose drug bans in secrecy and that all regulatory actions are formally communicated to the public through established channels. The agency explained that whenever medicines are recalled or restricted, details are clearly published through official safety notices that specify affected product names, batch numbers, manufacturers, and the actions required by healthcare providers and consumers.
Okay News reports that the confusion appears to stem from recent safety alerts issued by NAFDAC involving specific brands and batches of Amoxicillin-based medicines. According to the agency, these alerts were limited to identified substandard products and did not amount to a blanket prohibition of Amoxicillin, which remains an approved and widely used antibiotic in Nigeria.
NAFDAC cited several targeted actions taken in 2025 to protect public health. In August 2025, the agency recalled Amoxivue 500 milligram capsules after laboratory analysis revealed low levels of the active pharmaceutical ingredient. Further alerts were issued in October 2025 concerning substandard batches of Astamocil and Astamentin suspensions, as well as Annmox and Jawamox suspensions. The agency stressed that these measures were corrective and product-specific, not a general ban on the drug itself.
The regulator also explained that when necessary, it may blacklist certain products or manufacturers found to be in violation of safety or ethical standards. Such actions, NAFDAC said, are designed to prevent harm to patients while maintaining transparency in the pharmaceutical market. These decisions are always publicly documented to guide healthcare professionals and consumers in making safe treatment choices.
NAFDAC urged Nigerians to ignore the viral video alleging a secret ban and to rely solely on verified information published through its official recalls and safety alerts. The agency reaffirmed its commitment to protecting public health through evidence-based regulation and open communication, adding that accurate information remains critical to preventing unnecessary panic and misinformation in the healthcare system.
