Corruption in NAFDAC Poses Serious Threat to Nigeria's Security

The recent comments by the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, have revealed a serious problem in Nigeria's security. She highlighted issues within the agency that go beyond simple delays. The ongoing corruption and inefficiency among public servants in NAFDAC are threatening its main job. When an agency that is supposed to protect the food and medicine of over 200 million people faces obstacles from within, it is no longer just an administrative issue; it’s about the safety of the nation.

Under Professor Adeyeye’s leadership, NAFDAC has made important progress. The agency has received World Health Organisation (WHO) Maturity Level 3 status. It has also been active in fighting fake medicine syndicates across Nigeria. Her commitment to applying international standards and clearing past debts has improved the agency’s reputation. But these achievements are being threatened by resistance from within the agency, procedural delays, and ongoing corruption among staff who do not want to change.

NAFDAC is meant to be a key defense for the nation. The safety of Nigeria’s food supply, the quality of its medicines, and the strength of its healthcare system all depend on the agency's ability to check, monitor, and stop counterfeit goods. Unfortunately, continuous corruption among staff, shown through extortion and deliberate slowdowns, turns important checkpoints into personal cash points.

In my book, Shielding the Heartland: Rethinking Nigeria’s Border Security, I argue that a nation’s defense is only as strong as the honesty and intelligence of its border and regulatory systems. When institutions that monitor what comes into the country are weakened by internal corruption, our borders become vulnerable. Poor regulatory control at crucial entry points leaves the nation open to illegal goods, whether they are weapons, dangerous substances, or fake drugs.

Economically, a weak regulatory body harms local businesses and scares away foreign investors. Honest manufacturers who invest heavily to meet regulations find it hard to compete with illegal networks selling cheap, untested products. This situation destroys local jobs, reduces government tax income, and harms Nigeria’s reputation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

When NAFDAC is weak, the negative effects spread across every important area of Nigerian society. The biggest impact is on public health, where the rise of substandard drugs leads to treatment failures, increased organ damage, and many preventable deaths. In sub-Saharan Africa, counterfeit antimalarials alone cause over 260,000 deaths each year, with Nigeria facing a significant share of this. Fake antibiotics worsen drug resistance, making it hard for hospitals to treat common infections.

Failing to secure food supply chains puts millions at risk for harmful chemicals and unsafe food, increasing national food insecurity. Most importantly, the loss of regulatory power damages public trust in government institutions, allowing organized crime to take advantage of weak trade routes.

To strengthen NAFDAC and prepare it for modern challenges, the Federal Government must make clear structural changes. First, the agency needs a stable budget and direct funding to protect it from regular civil service cuts. Providing special security funding to NAFDAC will help it set up modern testing labs at every major entry point, reducing its dependence on corrupt third-party logistics.

The intentional delays in regulatory processes and demands for bribes must be seen as serious threats to national security. Compromised staff should be fired immediately, face asset seizures, and be prosecuted quickly to discourage ongoing corruption.

NAFDAC should become a security agency focused on intelligence by being included in the wider national security system. Changing its enforcement unit into an intelligence-led operation with advanced data tools and covert surveillance will help stop counterfeit goods before they reach the market.

Finally, these changes must come with strict penalties for staff misconduct. Delays in regulatory processes and demands for bribes need to be treated as direct threats to national security. Compromised personnel should be dismissed immediately, face asset seizures, and face quick legal action to stop ongoing corruption.

In modern governance, health security is national security. Professor Adeyeye’s brave uncovering of these internal problems should be a turning point. She needs full support from the country to help restore order. Nigeria cannot afford to have NAFDAC held back by internal saboteurs. Treating NAFDAC as a key security asset and changing it into a powerful intelligence-driven agency is an urgent need for national security.