The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) shut down two Chinese supermarkets in the Jabi District and eight cosmetics shops at Wuse Market, Abuja, for severe violations of Nigeria's laws regarding the sale, distribution, and labeling of regulated products.
The two supermarkets, located on Mike Akhigbe Way and Ebitu Ukiwe Street, were sealed for selling unregistered food items and products that were labeled exclusively in Chinese, which is a direct breach of NAFDAC's mandatory requirement for English translations to protect consumer safety. Furthermore, the operators were found to be running the businesses without the necessary approval from the agency.
In a related operation, the eight cosmetics shops at Wuse Market were shut down for selling a host of banned, expired, and unregistered products, including aphrodisiacs and aesthetic medicines like skin whitening and body enhancement supplements. NAFDAC's investigation revealed that some individuals at these shops were illegally posing as dermatologists and pharmacists to prescribe and sell these harmful substances to unsuspecting consumers. The agency confiscated all offending items, valued at over ₦170 million, as part of its effort to protect the health of Nigerians from dangerous chemicals linked to serious risks like skin cancer and kidney damage.