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-Veteran actress urges NAFDAC, SON and FCCPC to intensify enforcement.
—Fake Medicines Linked to Youth Organ Failure
Veteran Nollywood actress Ngozi Ezeonu has called out sellers of fake drugs, baby formula and other counterfeit products, urging them to stop putting Nigerians’ lives at risk for profit and appealing to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to strengthen monitoring and enforcement.
In a video shared on her Instagram page this week, Ezeonu voiced concern about the growing circulation of counterfeit products and recounted cases of young people she has seen deteriorate in hospitals with kidney and liver problems.
She said some patients take prescribed medicines but fail to recover, raising questions about whether counterfeit or substandard drugs are undermining treatment outcomes. Ezeonu also warned that fake children’s products, including counterfeit drinks and baby formula, could pose serious risks to vulnerable consumers.
Addressing those involved in the trade, she said: “If you are one of the people doing fake drugs, please stop.” Acknowledging the need for people to earn a living, she insisted that profit should not come at the expense of human lives. “We shouldn’t be our own enemy,” she said.
Ezeonu appealed to NAFDAC, SON and the FCCPC to step up inspections and enforcement to stem the circulation of counterfeit goods.
Her comments follow remarks by NAFDAC Director‑General Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, who told BusinessDay TV that many Nigerians do not read product labels or understand the agency’s regulatory remit. Adeyeye also noted that NAFDAC regulates processed and semi‑processed foods, while fresh produce is the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Ezeonu’s appeal adds to growing public concern over consumer safety and renews calls for stronger regulatory oversight and greater responsibility from manufacturers, distributors, retailers and consumers to keep fake and potentially harmful products off the market.
