163
By Daniel Adaji
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has retained two major International Standards Organisation certifications.
The agency says the development reflects its “unbroken commitment to quality and international best practices.”
The Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed thisduring the 2024 NAFDAC Awards, Recognition and Retirement Ceremony held on Monday in Lagos. She explained that the agency sustained ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Laboratory Accreditation and achieved ISO 9001:2015 Re-Certification.
According to her, “This could only have been possible through the hard work and diligence of our quality managers, laboratory analysts, and administrative teams who ensure compliance and continuous improvement.”
NAFDAC oversees the quality of medicines, vaccines, food, and medical products that enter or circulate within the country. International accreditation frameworks such as ISO require rigorous evaluation, which ensures Nigerian labouratories operate at a globally accepted standard. The certifications place the agency among regulators capable of effectively safeguarding consumer and patient safety.
Adeyeye said the achievements sit alongside a string of other milestones that demonstrate that Nigeria continues to raise the bar in global health regulation. She noted that NAFDAC recently sustained the World Health Organisation Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) rating, making Nigeria “the first in Africa to sustain and maintain Maturity Level 3 (ML3) for medicines regulation.”
She also said Nigeria recorded another global accomplishment, as “The Agency also achieved another world-first as the first National Regulatory Authority globally to be benchmarked for Medical Devices and In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVDs) toward ML3 attainment.”
The DG explained that these milestones required strong collaboration across teams within the agency.
“These milestones were not achieved by leadership alone, they were powered by teams of committed professionals who gave their best each day to ensure that our processes met WHO’s stringent standards,” she said.
In the same year, she stated that the agency commissioned a new facility to enhance regulation of advanced medical products.
“It is an investment in science, technology, and the future of health regulation ‘and it stands as a symbol of our resolve to institutionalize sustainability and innovation,” she stated.
She added that Nigeria is advancing toward greater international harmonisation in pharmaceutical production.
“Incorporation of NAFDAC into the Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme (PIC/S) as a Pre-Applicant in the Pre-Accession phase is a milestone that positions Nigeria among nations that uphold harmonized GMP standards globally, adding that this opens new frontiers for Nigeria’s pharmaceutical manufacturing sector,” she said.
The DH highlighted the agency’s intensified enforcement operations with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), noting that the clampdown on illegal drug supply chains helped protect lives.
“These courageous actions saved countless lives and reaffirmed public confidence in our regulatory system. ‘The success of these operations speaks to the bravery and integrity of our enforcement teams across Nigeria,’ she said.”
She stressed the importance of investing in regulatory personnel. “These trainings reflect our unwavering investment in you, our people, because a skilled and motivated workforce is NAFDAC’s greatest asset.” She disclosed that this commitment to capacity development led to “invitation of NAFDAC by ICH to become a member of the prestigious organisation.”
Addressing the broader mission of the agency, she said: “The global health landscape continues to evolve, and we must evolve with it, remaining agile, science-driven, and people-centered in all we do. You are the pillars of NAFDAC’s success, the silent heroes whose everyday work safeguards the lives of millions of Nigerians.”
Chairman of the 2024 NAFDAC Awards, Recognition & Retirement Ceremony, Dr. Rametu Momodu, said the agency’s achievements have made a lasting difference to public health.
“Our awardees embody this spirit. You represent the finest qualities of the Agency, resilience, professionalism, and integrity. Your innovative thinking and pursuit of excellence have made an indelible impact, not only within our institution but across Nigeria’s public health ecosystem,” she said.