(Senate. Photo by Premuim Times)
The Senate on Wednesday passed for second reading a bill seeking to strengthen Nigeria’s legal framework against counterfeit medical products, fake drugs and unwholesome processed foods.
Leading the debate, the sponsor of the bill, Sadiq Suleiman (APC-Kwara North), explained that the proposed legislation seeks to repeal the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
He said the bill also aims to prohibit the use of toxic substances to artificially speed up the ripening of fruits, as well as review penalty provisions relating to the hawking of drugs, poison and other food products.
According to Suleiman, the bill would create a more comprehensive legal framework for regulating counterfeit medical products, fake drugs and unwholesome processed foods.
He stressed that every Nigerian deserves access to genuine, safe and effective medicines, lamenting that criminal networks continue to profit from counterfeit products at the expense of innocent lives.
He explained that counterfeit medicines contribute to infant d£aths, treatment failures, antimicrobial resistance, worsening chronic illnesses and a decline in public confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system.
He added that adulterated cosmetics, contaminated packaged water and unwholesome processed foods have exposed millions of Nigerians daily to preventable diseases, disabilities and avoidable d£aths.
While acknowledging the efforts of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria and other stakeholders, Suleiman noted that criminal networks have grown increasingly sophisticated, making it necessary to modernise existing legislation and strengthen enforcement mechanisms against counterfeit products.
He said the bill also seeks to prohibit the hawking and sale of medicines in open markets, motor parks, roadside stalls, unlicensed premises and illegal online platforms, adding that offenders would face up to 15 years’ imprisonment, substantial fines and mandatory compensation in cases where counterfeit products result in d£ath or grievous bodily harm.
The senator explained further that the bill empowers courts to order asset forfeiture, seize offending premises and strengthen criminal prosecution through accelerated trials and the recognition of electronic evidence.
He also proposed retaining NAFDAC as the principal enforcement authority while establishing national and state task forces to improve intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement. “Counterfeit medicines have become silent weapons of mass destruction.
They destroy lives, weaken healthcare delivery and undermine public confidence in genuine pharmaceutical products,” he said.
Contributing to the debate, Samson Ekong (APC-Akwa Ibom South) described the bill as timely, noting that victims of counterfeit medicines often end up enriching casket makers through preventable d£aths. “Health is wealth.
The Senate must send a clear signal that these abuses must stop and appropriate penalties must be enforced,” Ekong said.
Also contributing, Adams Oshiomhole (APC-Edo North) said fake drugs had become widespread across both urban and rural communities, contributing significantly to kidney diseases and other organ failures. “We are all potential victims of fake drugs.
This legislation deserves the support of every senator because it concerns every Nigerian family,” he added.
Speaking as well, the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, expressed support for the bill’s objectives but urged lawmakers to establish a clear connection with the NAFDAC Act in order to avoid duplicating existing responsibilities.
The Senate subsequently passed the bill for second reading through a voice vote.
Following deliberations, Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary) for a public hearing.