The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has joined a £3.7 million international vaccine safety project aimed at combating the circulation of fake, falsified and substandard vaccines while strengthening regulatory systems in participating countries. The initiative is expected to improve vaccine quality assurance, enhance public confidence in immunisation programmes and protect millions of people from unsafe medical products.
According to NAFDAC, the programme brings together regulatory agencies, research institutions and international health partners to improve surveillance, laboratory testing, product verification and information sharing across borders. The project is designed to strengthen the capacity of national regulators to detect counterfeit vaccines, prevent their distribution and respond swiftly to emerging threats within the global pharmaceutical supply chain.
The agency noted that counterfeit and substandard vaccines pose a serious public health risk because they may fail to provide immunity, expose patients to harmful substances and undermine confidence in routine immunisation programmes. NAFDAC said Nigeria’s participation would provide access to advanced technologies, technical expertise and international best practices for strengthening medicine and vaccine regulation.
The project will also support training for regulatory personnel, improve laboratory infrastructure and promote stronger collaboration among participating countries in identifying and removing unsafe vaccines from circulation. Officials said enhanced cooperation would make it more difficult for criminal networks involved in pharmaceutical counterfeiting to exploit weaknesses in national supply chains.
NAFDAC reaffirmed its commitment to protecting public health by ensuring that only safe, effective and quality-assured vaccines are available in Nigeria. The agency urged healthcare providers, importers and members of the public to remain vigilant, purchase medical products only from authorised sources and promptly report any suspected counterfeit or substandard vaccines to the appropriate authorities.
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