By Asaye Bankole
The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to strengthen measures to combat the production, distribution and sale of fake, adulterated, counterfeit and substandard food and beverages across Nigeria, warning that the practice poses serious threats to public health.
The lawmakers made the call during plenary on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Abubakar Yalleman, who represents Madori/Kaugama Federal Constituency of Jigawa State.
Presenting the motion, Yalleman stressed that access to safe, wholesome and quality food and beverages was essential to the health, well-being and productivity of Nigerians.
He explained that proper food processing methods, good hygiene practices and strict compliance with established safety standards were necessary to prevent foodborne diseases caused by harmful bacteria, chemical residues, expired ingredients and physical contaminants.
The lawmaker also noted that enforcing food safety regulations would improve the competitiveness of Nigerian food businesses in regional and international markets by reducing the rejection of exported products and supporting economic growth.
However, he expressed concern over the increasing cases of counterfeit alcoholic beverages and the operation of illegal food and drink manufacturing facilities in the country.
As examples, Yalleman cited the dismantling of illegal alcohol counterfeiting syndicates at Zamfara Plaza on Lagos Island by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on April 22, 2026.
He also referred to the September 22, 2026, raid by officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on an illegal and unregistered fruit juice factory in Badagry, Lagos State.
According to him, the incidents highlight the growing circulation of fake, adulterated, unregistered and substandard food products, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, bottled water and other consumables in Nigerian communities.
Yalleman warned that some manufacturers and distributors were engaging in dangerous practices, including counterfeiting established brands, falsifying product labels and expiry dates, using inferior or contaminated raw materials, illegally reusing containers and manufacturing products outside approved regulatory standards.
He said these practices could expose unsuspecting consumers to severe health complications, including acute poisoning, cancer and damage to vital organs such as the kidneys, liver, lungs and heart.
The lawmaker maintained that the growing circulation of unsafe food and beverages required urgent and coordinated action by the relevant government agencies.
He identified NAFDAC, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) as key institutions responsible for regulating products, enforcing standards and protecting consumers.
While acknowledging the efforts of the agencies, Yalleman said concerns remained over the circulation of products carrying misleading information about their production and expiry dates, batch numbers, manufacturers and ingredients.
He argued that although existing laws and regulations provided a legal framework for addressing the problem, stronger enforcement, improved inter-agency cooperation, effective market surveillance and sustained public awareness campaigns were necessary to curb the menace.
The lawmaker further warned that children, older people and other vulnerable groups were particularly exposed to the dangers associated with contaminated and substandard food products.
He said the continued circulation of such products could lead to preventable illnesses, poisoning and other serious health complications.
“The increasing circulation of fake and substandard food and drinks is a very disturbing development which calls for more legislative and executive actions,” Yalleman said.
He emphasised the need for more effective and coordinated inspections, surveillance, enforcement operations and timely prosecution of offenders throughout the food and beverage supply chain.
House Directs Regulatory Agencies to Intensify Enforcement
Following the adoption of the motion, the House urged the Federal Government to treat the production and circulation of fake, adulterated, counterfeit and substandard food and beverages as an urgent national concern requiring sustained regulatory attention.
The lawmakers called on NAFDAC, SON and FCCPC to work with the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Customs Service, state governments and other relevant authorities to intensify nationwide surveillance and enforcement operations.
The proposed measures include more frequent inspections, product sampling, laboratory testing and investigations targeting manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers involved in the production or sale of unsafe products.
The House also mandated its relevant committees, particularly those responsible for Health, Industry, Customs, Standards and Consumer Protection, to engage regulatory agencies and other stakeholders to assess the scale of the problem.
The committees are expected to report their findings to the House within four weeks to facilitate further legislative action.
The lawmakers said the exercise should also identify measures to address the circulation of fake, counterfeit and substandard food, beverages and drugs across the country.
The resolution underscores growing legislative concern over consumer safety and the need to strengthen regulatory oversight of products consumed daily by millions of Nigerians.
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