The Federal Government is intensifying efforts to curb the presence of fake condoms and other substandard products in Nigeria, according to Health and Social Welfare Minister Muhammad Pate.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Pate expressed the government’s commitment to reducing counterfeit items in circulation.
“There are certain things that should not be in our system, though a minority of bad actors still manage to introduce compromised products.
Over the years, we’ve seen a decline in such cases, but some individuals still manufacture substandard items in secret and release them into the market. We are working to reduce this to the barest minimum,” he said.
Pate’s remarks come on the heels of an alert issued by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) regarding an unregistered condom brand, Foula condoms, discovered in circulation.
NAFDAC reported that the product, commonly packaged in packs of three, was found in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, and Zango, Kastina State.
NAFDAC’s Post-Marketing Surveillance Directorate identified the unauthorized product during a quality assessment survey of registered condoms in Nigeria.
The agency warned that the Foula condoms, which do not bear English-language labeling and are not approved by NAFDAC, pose serious health risks.
Poor-quality condoms could compromise efforts to prevent unintended pregnancies, HIV, and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), particularly if they leak or break during use.
NAFDAC emphasized the risks involved in the distribution and sale of unregistered condoms, warning that the safety, quality, and effectiveness of such products are not assured.
