NAFDAC enlists consumers in fight against substandard products

The National Agency for Foods and Drug Administration and Control said on Friday that it had enlisted consumers as major stakeholders in the fight against fake products in the country.

A deputy director in the agency, Mrs Doris Akalusi, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria at the ongoing Enugu International Trade Fair.

Akalusi said that the introduction of the Mobile Authentication Service on products had made it expedient for consumers to assist the agency to clamp down on substandard products.

“We know that there are lots of underground manufacturing of substandard products in this part of the country and Nigerians faking original products.

“This is one of the battles that we are fighting here as well as curbing the influx of fake products into our markets,” she said.

She said the MAS uses modern technology to detect substandard products.

“All you have to do when you want to buy a product is scratch on the portion that has the product’s identification code and send the code to 38353.

“Immediately you send it you will get a message telling you ‘original, buy’ or ‘fake, don’t buy’ and if the product is fake you report same to NAFDAC,” she said.

She said that the agency had introduced the measure on some drugs.

“We now have the codes on certain products where we feel we have major problems.

“Some anti-malaria drugs and antibiotics now go with the code so we advise consumers to always comply to ensure that the products they are buying are not fake,” she said.

Akalusi further said that the initiative enables customers to instantly identify the originality of any product.

“The code will certainly be on every regulated consumer product in Nigeria as time goes on.

“The full implementation will take time because we have to get the products one after the other. It covers all consumers and the text message is free,” she said.

She appealed to consumers to be vigilant while patronising products in the country, adding that their feedback was also required to ensure the success of the campaign.

Akalusi said: “Consumers should only patronise fortified food items that have vitamin A logo on them. The logo is the sign of the human eye.”

She said one of the challenges facing the agency in ridding Nigeria of substandard products was lack of information by consumers.

“You find your neighbour producing sachet water or other products at his backyard and you will not report such things to NAFDAC.

“If we can get people who can tell us what is happening, then the task will be easier,” Akalusi said.