NAFDAC reopens Onitsha drug market, mandates shop owners to sign undertaking

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has directed all shop owners at the Bridgehead drug market in Onitsha, Anambra State, to sign an undertaking through their union before resuming operations.

The agency issued this directive as it reopened the market—along with others in the area—following a month-long closure for sanitization and regulatory enforcement. It emphasized that only shops meeting the specified conditions would be allowed to operate.

Additionally, NAFDAC stated that penalties would be imposed for previous violations of drug distribution regulations.

The Bridgehead drug market, including Ogbo Ogwu and three neighboring markets, was shut down from February 10 to March 7 to address lapses in medicine distribution. Similar enforcement actions were carried out simultaneously in Kano, Idumota, and Yaba.

In a statement on Thursday, NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, explained that strict administrative measures had been put in place to prevent a recurrence of the violations that led to the market closure.

She noted that shop owners had to complete documentation and clearance processes before their shops could be unsealed, with a dedicated NAFDAC desk set up to ensure compliance.

“Pharmaceuticals are highly regulated due to their direct impact on public health and national security,” she said.

Prof. Adeyeye reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to enforcing safety and regulatory standards in drug distribution under the NAFDAC Act. She also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of market leaders and the Anambra State Government in facilitating the exercise.