House of Reps Launches Probe into Counterfeit Food Products

The House of Representatives has directed its relevant committees to investigate the circulation of counterfeit, adulterated, and substandard food and beverages in Nigeria due to concerns over public health risks. This directive followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Hon. Makki Yalleman, Chairman of the House Committee on Public Procurement, during plenary on Tuesday.

The House has tasked the joint Committees on Health, Industry, Customs, Standards, and Consumer Protection to engage with regulatory agencies, assess the problem's scale, and evaluate existing enforcement measures, with a report due within four weeks. Lawmakers expressed alarm over practices by unscrupulous manufacturers and distributors, including counterfeiting established brands and falsifying product labels.

They cited incidents such as the dismantling of a counterfeit alcohol syndicate by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control on April 22, 2026, and the discovery of an illegal fruit juice factory by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps on September 22, 2026, as evidence of the need for stronger regulatory measures.