Our Correspondent
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intensified its regulatory enforcement with a major raid in Suleja, Niger State, where it sealed a warehouse operated by one Alhaji Ahmed for stocking prohibited Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) in commercial quantities. The banned additive was discovered in 25kg bags, in clear violation of importation laws.
In a broader operation conducted within the Ibrahim Babangida International Market, NAFDAC confiscated unwholesome, unregistered, and counterfeit consumer products valued at over ₦47 million. These included fake variants of popular oral care brands such as Oral-B, as well as dubious products labelled as “Bamboo Charcoal”, “Crogate”, and “Cloguide” triple-action toothpaste. Counterfeit “Colgate” products and prohibited foreign spaghetti brands were also impounded.
Several retail outlets in the market are now under investigation, as NAFDAC seeks to verify the authenticity and registration status of their inventory.
Monosodium Glutamate, often used in producing Ajinomoto seasoning and locally referred to as “White Maggi”, has been banned for mass importation due to associated health and regulatory risks. NAFDAC has reiterated that food additives sold in Nigeria must be properly labelled and registered, bearing valid NAFDAC numbers, manufacturing and expiry dates, batch codes, and the producer’s address.
The Agency warns consumers to be vigilant and avoid purchasing repackaged MSG or any product lacking proper certification, as it continues its nationwide crackdown on unsafe consumables.
