Expired, Altered, Repackaged: The Growing Food & Drug Safety Scandal Putting Millions Of Nigerians At Risk
A Silent Public Health Emergency in Open Sight
ACROSS Nigeria’s open markets, supermarkets, and informal kiosks, a dangerous pattern is quietly escalating: expired food and pharmaceutical products are being sold—and in many cases, relabelled or repackaged to appear safe.
What was once an occasional regulatory concern has evolved into a nationwide consumer safety crisis, affecting households from Lagos to Kano, Abuja to Aba.
Investigations and enforcement records from regulatory agencies now show a troubling overlap between economic hardship, weak monitoring systems, and deliberate corporate and retail malpractice.
From Maggot-Infested Yogurt to Altered Labels
Cases documented by consumers highlight the scale of the problem.
In Lagos, a festive-season purchase of yoghurt from a supermarket turned alarming when a consumer discovered maggots inside a sealed bottle—despite the expiry date still showing over two months of shelf life.
In Abeokuta, a student who purchased packaged biscuits later discovered they were already unfit for consumption, even though packaging indicated they were still months from expiry.
Such incidents, experts say, reveal a deeper issue: expiry dates may remain intact while product integrity has already failed—suggesting possible storage failures or deliberate manipulation.
How Expiry Dates Are Being Manipulated
Viral videos circulating online have intensified concerns.
Some clips show expiry dates being wiped off with solvents, covered with tape, or reprinted using stamp-like tools. In other cases, entire labels are altered before products are returned to circulation.
Regulators also confirm that some goods in circulation have no expiry dates at all, despite being consumables distributed across major commercial hubs including Lagos, Onitsha, and Abuja.
Food safety experts warn this creates a “blind consumption market,” where consumers cannot verify product safety.
Experts Warn of Health Consequences
Public health specialists say the consequences go beyond discomfort.
Dr. Olapeju Phorbee, a food systems consultant, warned that expired foods can lead to bacterial contamination and long-term health risks.
According to Dr. Lolu Ojo of the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy, risks include food poisoning, organ damage, and in severe cases, death.
Clinical nutritionist Fiyinfoluwa Odukoya added that nutrient degradation and microbial growth often occur invisibly, making expired foods especially dangerous.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that unsafe food causes over 600 million illnesses globally each year, with developing countries bearing the heaviest burden.
Enforcement Raids Reveal Scale of the Problem
Regulatory agencies say the issue is widespread and economically driven.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has in recent operations seized:
- Fake and banned drugs worth over ₦3 billion in Lagos
- Expired food products worth over ₦100 million in Niger State
- Repackaged rice and counterfeit goods valued at billions nationwide
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) also confirms ongoing seizures and penalties under consumer protection laws.
The Governance and Enforcement Gap
Despite these interventions, experts argue that enforcement alone is not enough.
Weak supply chain monitoring, inconsistent state-level enforcement, and limited consumer awareness continue to allow unsafe goods into circulation.
Stakeholders also highlight gaps in accountability across production, distribution, and retail chains.
What Needs to Change
Experts recommend:
- Stronger packaging integrity (tamper-proof expiry marking)
- Digital traceability of consumables
- Harsher penalties for date manipulation
- Improved consumer reporting systems
- Better coordination among regulatory agencies
Until then, Nigeria’s food and drug markets remain vulnerable to exploitation—often at the expense of unsuspecting consumers.
