In a significant step toward strengthening inter-agency collaboration, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have inaugurated a joint Implementation Committee to enforce the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between both agencies in November 2024.
The committee was formally inaugurated on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, when the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, paid a courtesy visit to the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
The visit marked a key milestone in the agencies’ efforts to translate policy into actionable plans to combat the influx of counterfeit drugs, unregistered pharmaceutical products, and harmful substances into the Nigerian market.
Speaking during the event, CGC Adeniyi reaffirmed the Customs Service’s commitment to deepening cooperation with NAFDAC in order to safeguard public health and national security. “Every time we meet, your position has always been for us to come together and deepen collaboration. This implementation committee will drive our shared vision to protect Nigerians from harmful, unregulated substances,” he said.
He added that the committee’s Terms of Reference had been carefully outlined to include the creation of a joint work plan, coordination of public communication and stakeholder training, harmonisation of operational standards, and identification of bottlenecks for resolution.
Adeniyi also emphasised that the MoU remains a legally binding agreement under Nigerian law and that its implementation would be monitored to ensure measurable outcomes and accountability.
In her remarks, Prof. Adeyeye welcomed the inauguration of the committee, describing it as a timely move that shifts inter-agency relations “from dialogue to action.” She reiterated that cooperation with Customs is crucial to NAFDAC’s mission to rid the country of substandard and fake products. “This partnership will enhance national controls, improve operational synergy, and protect the health and safety of all Nigerians,” she said.
The joint committee is chaired by Olakunle Olaniran of NAFDAC, while Smart Akande, Director of Legal Services and Legal Adviser to the Nigeria Customs Service, serves as Deputy Chairman. Other committee members are drawn from both organisations to ensure broad representation and effectiveness.
The move follows the MoU signing held during the second day of the CGC’s Annual Conference in Abuja on November 14, 2024, where both agencies pledged to work more closely to monitor and regulate imports, especially in the health and pharmaceutical sectors.
With the committee now in place, both NCS and NAFDAC are expected to begin coordinated enforcement, data sharing, joint operations, and enhanced border checks all geared toward ensuring that only safe, certified products reach Nigerian consumers.
