When treatment turns dangerous: Nigerians’ battle with counterfeit medicines

On a humid afternoon in Abuja, 35-year-old trader, Bello Rukayat, recalls how a routine illness nearly cost her life. What began as a persistent fever soon spiralled into a frightening ordeal. Diagnosed with malaria, she was prescribed medication. But instead of recovering, her condition deteriorated. “I took the drugs as prescribed, but nothing changed. I […]

On a humid afternoon in Abuja, 35-year-old trader, Bello Rukayat, recalls how a routine illness nearly cost her life. What began as a persistent fever soon spiralled into a frightening ordeal.

Diagnosed with malaria, she was prescribed medication. But instead of recovering, her condition deteriorated.

“I took the drugs as prescribed, but nothing changed. I felt like I was dying slowly,” she said.

It was only after a second visit to another hospital that the truth emerged: the drugs she had purchased were fake.

• Birth attendants: Inside women’s struggle between affordability and survival
• APC gov’ship tickets: Imposition or consensus?

Rukayat’s story is far from isolated. Across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), similar experiences are unfolding, each exposing how deeply counterfeit medicines have seeped into everyday life, and how easily trust in treatment can turn into danger.

 

When treatment fails and fear sets in

For civil servant Isah Muhammed, the experience left him shaken and wary of informal drug vendors.

“I had a severe toothache and couldn’t make it to the hospital immediately, so I bought painkillers from a roadside seller,” he said.

“At first, the pain reduced slightly, but by the next day, my face was swollen. When I finally saw a dentist, I was told the drugs were ineffective and possibly fake. What scared me most was that I thought I was treating myself, but I was actually making things worse.”

Similarly, hairdresser Jegede Blessing recounted how counterfeit antibiotics prolonged her illness and deepened her frustration.

“I had an infection and was given antibiotics by a chemist. I completed the dosage, but nothing changed. Instead, I started having stomach pains.”

It was only after visiting a licensed pharmacy that she got the right medication.

“The pharmacist told me the first drugs I took were likely substandard. I had to start treatment all over again. It felt like I wasted both my time and money,” she said.

For commercial driver Sadiq Auwal, the impact went beyond his health to his livelihood.

“I bought malaria drugs from a pharmacy because I was in a hurry,” he said.

“I took them for two days and still felt very weak and couldn’t go to work.”

Auwal said he later spent more money at a hospital after his condition worsened.

“I lost income for almost a week. What I thought would save me money ended up costing me more,” he lamented.

For a polytechnic student, Adeolu Mary, the consequences disrupted her education.

“I had typhoid symptoms and bought drugs from a nearby vendor around campus. After taking them, I didn’t improve. Instead, I became weaker and couldn’t attend lectures,” she said.

When she eventually sought proper care, the warning was stark.

“The doctor asked where I got the drugs and told me never to buy from unverified sources again. I even missed tests because of that experience,” she added.

Another resident, Emmanuel Benson, still carries a sense of guilt after unknowingly exposing his aged mother to danger.

“She was prescribed drugs for high blood pressure, and I bought them from a shop close to our house. But after a few days, there was no improvement and her condition became unstable,” he said.

A pharmacist later flagged the medication as suspicious.

“He checked the packaging and said something was wrong. That was when I realised they were fake. I felt guilty because I was trying to help her, not put her at risk,” Benson said.

 

 Warning signs many patients miss

Beyond the immediate health consequences, some victims say there were subtle warning signs they initially overlooked.

Kelvin Samson recounted how he began to suspect something was wrong with the medication he had purchased.

“I began to suspect something was wrong when the medication had little or no effect after the expected time, despite taking it correctly,” he said.

“The packaging also looked slightly different from what I was used to. I observed there was poor print quality, missing details, and no proper registration number.”

He added that unusual side effects, inconsistent with known reactions, were another red flag. In some cases, the tablets had a strange taste, smell or appearance.

“To confirm my suspicion, I checked the product using authentication methods such as scratch codes and verified the registration with agencies like NAFDAC. It became clear that the drug was not genuine,” he said.

Upon realising the drugs were fake, Samson said he immediately discontinued their use and returned to the pharmacy to report the issue and request a replacement or refund. He noted, however, that the outlet itself appeared legitimate and the drugs had been prescribed after proper testing.

Similarly, Linda Chebene shared how a seemingly routine visit to a pharmacy turned into a troubling experience.

“One day, I was feeling unwell and didn’t have much money, so I decided to visit a pharmacy without a proper prescription,” she said.

“After explaining my symptoms, the attendant gave me some drugs. However, I did not feel any improvement, so I stopped taking them immediately.”

She later developed adverse reactions.

“I had rashes on my skin and face, along with itching. When I took the medication, specifically a malaria drug, to another pharmacy, I was told it was fake,” she said.

Atommeh Jamo, a mother of two, also recounted how her husband unknowingly bought suspected counterfeit paracetamol for their sick daughter.

“After administering it, her temperature was not controlled; in fact, it worsened as the hours passed. I discontinued its use and bought another one the following morning,” she said.

Although there were no additional reactions, she became alarmed when the fever persisted overnight.

Another victim, Zainab Qazeem, described a disturbing experience during a trip to Katsina.

“When we bought a zinc tablet, we got home and placed it in water to dissolve before giving it to our toddler,” she said.

“After several minutes, the tablet did not dissolve. When we pressed it, it felt more like plastic than medicine.”

When they returned it, the explanation offered did not convince her.

“They said it was due to cold weather, but we were in Katsina, and the weather was quite hot,” she added.

 

Across states, a pattern of loss and survival

In Kano, the reality of counterfeit drugs is etched in similar stories of survival, loss and near tragedy.

For 28-year-old Aisha Musa, what should have been a simple malaria case almost turned fatal.

“I bought the drugs from a chemist near our house because they were cheaper.

“After three days, my condition worsened. I was vomiting and too weak to stand.”

Doctors later confirmed the drugs were counterfeit.

“I spent more than N10,000 on proper treatment afterwards. It was not just the money, but the thought that I almost lost my life,” she said.

Trader Bala Abdullahi shared a similar ordeal.

“I had chest pain and bought drugs from a bus vendor. They looked genuine, but after finishing the dose, I was still coughing badly.”

Tests later showed the drugs had little or no active ingredient.

“I wasted N7,000 on fake medicine and another N15,000 for proper treatment. I missed going to my shop for two weeks,” he said.

For Zainab Ali, the experience involved her young child.

“The syrup I bought didn’t help at all. His condition worsened until we rushed him to the hospital.”

Doctors confirmed the medication was substandard.

“I thought I was helping him, but I almost made things worse,” she said.

Her family now relies strictly on verified pharmacies.

In Benue State, residents say the problem extends even to seemingly legitimate supply chains.

In Otukpo, a resident, Donatus, said a mild illness escalated dangerously after using substandard drugs.

By the fifth day, he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital, where doctors identified the earlier medication as substandard. The experience cost him N30,000 and over a week of lost productivity.

Similarly, Attah Ede from Makurdi said he unknowingly bought a fake drug from a registered pharmacy after surgery.

“We realised it lacked the authentication number required to verify it. I lost N7,600 before switching to the correct medication,” he said.

 

A silent epidemic and the struggle to contain it

These accounts reflect a broader and deeply troubling reality across Nigeria. A silent epidemic is unfolding that is not driven by disease alone, but by fake, substandard and adulterated medicines infiltrating the healthcare system.

Despite years of intervention, data from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) estimates that between 13 and 15 percent of medicines in circulation are substandard or falsified. However, the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) warned in its 2025/2026 report that the actual prevalence could exceed 50 percent.

“The numbers tell only part of the story. What we see today are drugs that look genuine; even trained professionals sometimes struggle to detect them,” Abuja-based pharmacologist, Dr Chinedu Ifeanyi, told Weekend Trust.

Such drugs may contain no active ingredients, incorrect dosages or even harmful substances. In some cases, expired medicines are repackaged and reintroduced into circulation, posing life-threatening risks.

In Bauchi State, however, there are indications that sustained interventions are beginning to yield results.

The NAFDAC State Coordinator, Hamisu Yahaya, said the prevalence of substandard and counterfeit drugs has declined, based on measurable indices such as seizures, surveillance operations across drug stores and intensified sensitisation campaigns.

“When we compare the cases of seizures recorded towards the end of previous years, inventory taken at the end of 2025 showed a drastic reduction compared to 2024. This suggests that awareness has improved, largely due to sustained enlightenment campaigns,” he said.

Yahaya added that the agency has invested in capacity building and technology-driven solutions to tackle the menace.

“NAFDAC has continued to educate stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, patent medicine vendors and pharmacists. We have trained over 500 people on modern tools, including how to report adverse drug reactions, identify genuine products at the point of purchase and ensure proper handling during distribution,” he explained.

He said the introduction of authentication platforms and digital tools has also strengthened detection efforts.

“With technologies such as verification portals, the NAFDAC Green Book and scan-to-verify systems, we believe these measures have contributed significantly to improving drug safety,” he added.

Yahaya further highlighted collaboration with other regulatory and enforcement agencies.

“We engage relevant stakeholders and partner with sister agencies like the NDLEA on drug demand reduction and other related issues. There is measurable improvement, but more still needs to be done,” he said.

Despite these efforts, he acknowledged persistent challenges, particularly among some operators within the healthcare system.

“Even with training, some practitioners are reluctant to use regulatory tools or comply with guidelines. There is still a level of indifference that undermines enforcement,” he said.

He also identified poor reporting culture and improper drug handling as critical gaps.

“Many do not report adverse drug reactions or effects following immunisation, despite repeated sensitisation. There are also cases where drugs are transported alongside items like fertiliser, batteries and spare parts, which can compromise their quality,” he said.

Yahaya further raised concerns about regulatory violations among some vendors.

“Some patent medicine stores operate beyond their approved scope, while certain pharmacy outlets fail to maintain proper records, such as poison registers,” he added.

On the persistent issue of drug hawking, he stressed the need for stronger institutional support.

“NAFDAC alone cannot tackle drug hawking. There is a need for state governments to establish dedicated task forces. With proper coordination, we can significantly curb the practice,” he said.

Globally, substandard medicines have been linked to hundreds of thousands of deaths annually, particularly in the treatment of malaria and pneumonia. Nigeria has not been spared, with several tragic incidents involving contaminated drugs, especially among children.

Experts attribute the persistence of counterfeit medicines to the weak regulation of open drug markets, which continue to serve as major distribution hubs.

“These markets are deeply embedded in the system. Even legitimate pharmacies sometimes source from them, making the problem harder to contain,” Dr Ifeanyi noted.

Nigeria’s heavy dependence on imported medicines, estimated at over 70 percent, further complicates the challenge.

Public health expert, Dr Zainab Zakari, said weak inspection systems at entry points increase the risk of counterfeit drugs entering the country.

“When you depend heavily on imports, you increase your risk exposure. Without strong border controls and rigorous testing, fake drugs can easily find their way into the system,” she said.

Economic hardship is another major driver, pushing many Nigerians towards cheaper alternatives from informal vendors, often at great risk.

“People are trying to save money, but in many cases, the cheaper option is ineffective or dangerous,” pharmacist Nwosu Chisom said.

“When drugs fail, doctors may assume resistance or complications and adjust treatment, not realising that the root cause is a counterfeit product.”

For patients, the consequences extend beyond health, affecting finances, productivity and trust in the healthcare system.

While NAFDAC has intensified enforcement through raids, stricter regulations and mobile authentication systems, gaps remain.

“There is progress, but it is not enough. The system still has weaknesses that counterfeiters continue to exploit,” Chisom added.

 

Contributions from Hassan Ibrahim (Bauchi), Hope Abah (Makurdi), Sani Ibrahim Paki (Kano) & Tahnteh Azal(Abuja)