NAFDAC Reopens Onitsha Drug Market, Sets Strict Conditions for Traders

NAFDAC has officially reopened the Onitsha Head Bridge drug market, known as ‘Ogbo Ogwu,’ after a period of closure for regulatory enforcement. The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, announced the reopening but emphasized that shop owners must meet strict administrative conditions before resuming operations.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Adeyeye stated that traders are required to complete documentation and clearance procedures before their shops can be unsealed. To streamline the process and ensure compliance with regulatory standards, NAFDAC has set up a dedicated desk within the market.

She further stressed that only traders who fulfill these conditions will be allowed to reopen their shops. Additionally, shop owners have been directed, through their union, to sign an undertaking and face penalties for any past violations of drug distribution regulations.

NAFDAC had previously shut down the market as part of its crackdown on the sale of fake and expired drugs. The agency’s latest move aims to prevent a recurrence of the issues that led to the closure while ensuring stricter compliance with safety and quality regulations.