The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has reopened the Onitsha drug market on March 6, following a comprehensive sanitization operation that began on February 10. The reopening was announced by Dr. Martin Iluyomade, Director of Enugu Zone Zonal Operations, during a stakeholders’ meeting held on Thursday.
The meeting included representatives from NAFDAC, the Anambra State government, and the leadership of the Onitsha market. In addition to the drug market, other affected markets included the Plumbing, Wood, Science Progressive, and Surgical markets.
Iluyomade clarified that the operation was not intended to penalize neighboring markets, which had unfortunately become major warehouse locations for medicine traders. He emphasized that the closure was necessary to prevent confrontation with traders and was based on extensive intelligence gathering.
“The discoveries in the market were alarming,” Iluyomade stated, revealing that large quantities of narcotics capable of destabilizing any nation were recovered. “We found fake and counterfeit medicines in over 50 trailers, along with banned drugs dating back to 2007,” he added.
While the market has been reopened, approximately 4,000 shop owners who were profiled and suspended must individually visit NAFDAC to clear themselves before resuming business. Iluyomade also highlighted the poor storage conditions within the market, which compromised the quality of genuine medicines.
Iluyomade expressed appreciation to Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his support and commitment to establishing a standard drug market with proper storage facilities.
Mr. Ndubuisi Chukwulota, Chairman of the Ogbo Ogwu Traders Association, thanked NAFDAC for reopening the market and pledged the traders’ cooperation in eliminating fake drugs.
Dr. Afam Obidike, Anambra’s Commissioner for Health, commended both NAFDAC and the traders for their collaboration and assured continued efforts to maintain the sanitization of the system.
The reopening follows NAFDAC’s nationwide clampdown on fake and substandard medicines, which included the shutdown of the Ọgbọ Ọgwụ drug market in Onitsha. On February 10, NAFDAC commenced enforcement operations at three major drug distribution hubs: the Idumota open drug market in Lagos, the Ariaria drug market in Aba, and the Bridge Market in Onitsha.
According to the agency, these markets account for over 80% of medication distribution in Nigeria. The enforcement operations aim to eliminate falsified and unregistered drugs from circulation. In Onitsha alone, NAFDAC seized no fewer than 30 trucks filled with confiscated drugs and shut down over 4,000 shops.
Earlier, Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo had pledged support for NAFDAC’s efforts to sanitize the drug distribution system and ensure the safety of medicines available to the public.
The reopening of the Onitsha drug market marks a significant step in NAFDAC’s ongoing efforts to combat counterfeit and substandard drugs, ensuring safer healthcare practices and protecting public health.
