The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has warned Nigerians against treating an unverified social media list of allegedly fake and unsafe products as an official safety alert.
The agency said the list did not originate from it, warning that circulating the claims could mislead consumers and damage the businesses and reputations of legitimate manufacturers, distributors and retailers.
In a statement signed by its Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, NAFDAC said it would not declare products fake, adulterated or substandard without proper investigation and, where necessary, scientific and laboratory tests.
It explained that when a product or batch is found to be unsafe or below the required standard, it provides specific details and announces the appropriate regulatory action through its official communication channels.
“NAFDAC, as a responsible regulatory authority, does not make sweeping declarations about the safety or authenticity of products without appropriate regulatory processes, including investigation, sampling and, where necessary, scientific and laboratory verification,” the statement read.
The agency urged members of the public to disregard the viral list and stop sharing it as an official NAFDAC publication. It said the appearance of a product’s name or photograph on social media was not enough to establish that it was fake or unsafe.
NAFDAC warned that spreading unverified claims could cause unnecessary public anxiety, disrupt legitimate businesses and weaken confidence in properly regulated food, pharmaceutical and consumer products.
It, however, encouraged Nigerians, healthcare professionals, manufacturers and distributors to report suspected counterfeit, adulterated or substandard products, stressing that such reports help its regulatory work.
The agency said allegations would still have to undergo proper investigation and scientific verification before conclusions could be reached, adding that it would take enforcement action whenever evidence established the need for regulatory intervention.
It advised the public to rely on its official channels for verified information about product alerts, recalls, withdrawals and suspensions.
