The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has expressed concern over the agency’s severe manpower shortage, revealing that only about 2,000 staff members are responsible for regulating food, drugs and other regulated products for an estimated 240 million Nigerians. She described the situation as inadequate for an agency with such a broad national mandate.
Speaking at the inauguration of the NAFDAC Greenbook, Adeyeye said the shortage has placed enormous pressure on the agency’s workforce, particularly as it intensifies efforts to combat counterfeit medicines, substandard products and unsafe food items across the country. She noted that many developed countries maintain significantly larger regulatory workforces despite having smaller populations.
The NAFDAC chief explained that the agency’s responsibilities extend beyond inspecting factories and regulating pharmaceutical products. Its duties also include monitoring imported goods, conducting laboratory analysis, enforcing product standards, licensing manufacturers, investigating violations and carrying out public awareness campaigns nationwide. She warned that these critical functions require more personnel to be carried out effectively.
Adeyeye also highlighted the risks faced by NAFDAC officials during enforcement operations, noting that some officers have been attacked while carrying out raids against producers and distributors of counterfeit and dangerous products. She called for stronger government support, increased recruitment and improved funding to enable the agency to strengthen public health protection and respond more effectively to emerging regulatory challenges.
She urged stakeholders and the Federal Government to prioritise investment in the agency’s capacity, stressing that a stronger and better-resourced NAFDAC is essential to safeguarding the health of Nigerians. According to her, expanding the workforce and modernising operations will improve the agency’s ability to detect, prevent and eliminate counterfeit products from the country’s markets while ensuring safer food and medicines for consumers.
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