The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has taken a significant step in its ongoing battle against counterfeit medicines by appointing Cotecna Inspection Services as a Clean Report of Inspection and Analysis (CRIA) agent in India. This decision forms part of NAFDAC’s strengthened efforts to prevent the importation of substandard and falsified (SF) medicines and other regulated products, particularly from India and China.
The appointment follows NAFDAC’s continuous efforts to crack down on fake medicines, which recently included the seizure and destruction of over N1 trillion worth of substandard and expired drugs in markets like Idumota, Onitsha, and Aba.
Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of NAFDAC, explained that this new partnership aims to enhance the agency’s pre-shipment verification processes and improve regulatory oversight in key exporting countries. In a statement released by NAFDAC’s spokesman, Sayo Akintola, Adeyeye emphasized that the global problem of counterfeit medicines particularly affects low- and middle-income nations, including Nigeria.
During a hybrid technical meeting in Lagos, Adeyeye highlighted the importance of the CRIA scheme, which has already been operational in China and India. This scheme acts as a primary strategy for screening products before export, ensuring that only safe and compliant products reach Nigerian shores. Following a review of the performance of existing CRIA agents, NAFDAC decided to disengage one agent, renew contracts with two others, and add two new agents in India, including Cotecna.
Cotecna now joins a network of CRIA agents responsible for inspecting product quality, packaging, labeling, conducting random testing, and verifying regulatory documents. These agents are also tasked with reporting any non-compliance or attempts to circumvent the inspection process. Only products that pass these stringent tests are cleared for shipment to Nigeria.
In addition, NAFDAC introduced the Ports Inspection Data Capture and Risk Management System (PIDCARMS), a new electronic platform designed to streamline the verification of CRIA and NAFDAC documentation, improve inspection processes, and ensure greater transparency and efficiency at Nigerian ports.
Adeyeye also issued a stern warning against any efforts to reintroduce rejected consignments into Nigeria. NAFDAC is collaborating with the Indian government to track rejected medicines and prevent their illegal re-entry through alternative routes. “We want to know what happens to the medicines rejected in India,” Adeyeye stated. “NAFDAC will not allow such products to find their way back into our country.”
She further urged exporters of NAFDAC-regulated products to engage only approved CRIA agents before shipping to ensure compliance with the agency’s regulations and safeguard public health. All regulated products, except those on the exemption list, must undergo CRIA processing.
Lena Sodergren, Vice President of Verification of Conformity and Africa at Cotecna, reassured the public of the company’s commitment to ensuring quality assurance and facilitating international trade.