NAFDAC DG: Give Me the Mandate and I Will Take the Fight Against Fake Drugs to a New Level – Olatunde Isaac
By Olumide Bajulaiye
Nigeria’s battle against counterfeit and substandard medicines, unsafe foods and other harmful regulated products may require more than tougher regulations—it may require putting experienced professionals with proven records directly at the helm of the nation’s drug and food safety regulator.
That is the central message of a passionate appeal by a NAFDAC professional who says nearly a decade of service within the agency has equipped him with the experience, technical knowledge and institutional understanding needed to lead the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
In a direct appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the professional presented his record of service as evidence that his aspiration to become NAFDAC Director-General is not motivated by personal favour but by a desire to deploy his expertise in the national interest.
He pointed specifically to his years of involvement in the fight against counterfeit and substandard medicines as well as unsafe food products, noting that his contribution to the campaign against fake food and drugs earned him the NAFDAC Director-General’s Merit Award.
For him, the recognition represents more than an award. It is a demonstration of practical experience in one of the most critical areas of public health and consumer protection.
A Call for Competence Over Connections
At the heart of the appeal is a simple proposition: Nigeria has professionals capable of solving some of its most pressing challenges, but those professionals must be given the opportunity, mandate and institutional support to perform.
The aspirant told the President that he was not seeking a favour.
Rather, he said he was offering “competence, experience and a proven commitment to the national interest.”
The statement comes against the backdrop of the enormous consequences associated with fake and substandard medicines and unsafe regulated products.
Counterfeit medicines can undermine treatment, worsen illnesses and, in extreme cases, result in deaths. Unsafe food products similarly pose serious risks to consumers while undermining confidence in Nigeria’s regulatory environment.
It is therefore a battle that requires effective enforcement, intelligence gathering, surveillance, laboratory capacity, border control, public awareness and sustained prosecution of offenders.
The Six-Month Target
Perhaps the boldest aspect of the proposal is the target being placed before the Federal Government.
The professional pledged that, if appointed NAFDAC Director-General and provided with the necessary institutional backing, he would target a minimum 60 per cent reduction in the circulation of counterfeit and substandard medicines and unsafe regulated products within his first six months.
The longer-term objective, he said, would be to drive the menace to its barest minimum within one year.
Such a target would represent a significant undertaking, considering the complex networks involved in the manufacture, importation, distribution and sale of fake and substandard products.
Achieving it would require not only regulatory enforcement but also collaboration with security agencies, customs authorities, healthcare professionals, manufacturers, distributors, retailers and consumers.
From Enforcement to Results
The appeal also highlights an increasingly important question about public-sector leadership: should appointments be driven primarily by administrative considerations, or should they place greater emphasis on demonstrable competence and measurable results?
For the NAFDAC professional, the answer is clear.
He is asking for an opportunity to translate nearly a decade of experience into institutional leadership and measurable outcomes.
His proposed approach is built around the belief that an agency charged with protecting Nigerians from dangerous medicines and unsafe food products must be sufficiently empowered to act decisively.
That would mean stronger surveillance, more aggressive identification of illicit supply chains, improved regulatory enforcement and greater accountability throughout the pharmaceutical and food sectors.
“Nigeria Deserves a Stronger War”
The appeal ultimately goes beyond one individual’s ambition for an appointment.
It is framed as a call for the Federal Government to match responsibility with competence by placing experienced professionals where their knowledge can have the greatest national impact.
The professional’s closing message to President Tinubu was unequivocal: “Give me the mandate. Give me the tools. I will deliver.”
Whether the proposed 60 per cent reduction target can be achieved would depend on the scope of the mandate, resources available, baseline measurements and the effectiveness of the enforcement strategy adopted.
But the broader argument remains compelling: in the fight against fake medicines and unsafe foods, Nigeria needs strong institutions led by people with the expertise, experience and determination to protect the lives and wellbeing of millions of Nigerians.
For a country where the consequences of counterfeit medicines and unsafe products can be devastating, the demand for the right person in the right place is ultimately a demand for results.
Olumide Bajulaiye is the Publisher, Daily Dispatch Newspaper.
