NAFDAC stands for the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. It is a Nigerian government agency responsible for regulating and controlling the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, and sale of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, and chemicals.
NAFDAC’s primary aim is to safeguard public health by ensuring that only safe, effective, and quality food, drugs, and other regulated products are available to the public. The agency achieves this by conducting inspections and monitoring of products and facilities, as well as by enforcing relevant laws and regulations.
Some of the specific functions of NAFDAC include:
- Registration of food, drugs, and other regulated products before they can be imported, manufactured, or distributed in Nigeria.
- Conducting laboratory testing of regulated products to ensure their quality and safety.
- Inspecting facilities that manufacture, store, and distribute regulated products to ensure compliance with relevant regulations.
- Monitoring and enforcing compliance with regulations on labeling, advertising, and promotion of regulated products.
- Investigating and prosecuting cases of counterfeit, fake, or substandard products.
NAFDAC plays a critical role in ensuring the safety and quality of food, drugs, and other regulated products in Nigeria.
What is the NAFDAC registration number?
A NAFDAC registration number is a unique set of numbers assigned to a specific drug, food, or supplement that has been registered and approved for public distribution in Nigeria by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), a Nigerian Federal agency under the Federal Ministry of Health established by Decree 15 of 1993 with the purpose of preventing the circulation of illicit and counterfeit products in Nigeria under the country’s health and safety law.
Prior to the era of assigning product numbers, Nigeria was a haven for counterfeit and unwholesome products, most of which contain no active ingredients. In 2001, under the leadership of Dora Akunyili as the director general, the agency underwent intense restructuring and reforms with the aim of revitalizing NAFDAC’s mandate to “safeguard the health of the nation”. As a result, drug failure rates fell to roughly 16% in 2006 from 2002 and the circulation of counterfeit drugs was reported to have been reduced by more than 80% of the level in 2001.
How do I get a NAFDAC number?
Registration requirements for locally manufactured goods are slightly different from that for imported goods. If your company produces different products you will need to register each of them separately. For instance, if you own a company that produces poultry feed and fish feed you will need different NAFDAC registration numbers for each of the products.
STEP ONE
Approach the closest zonal office of NAFDAC to get your factory inspected. When you pass this stage you would be required to submit three samples of your product for analysis after which a certificate of recognition as a manufacturer would be issued to you.
STEP TWO
Purchase a registration form from NAFDAC and fill it out appropriately. Remember that each form can only be used for a single product so if you have two products you would need to buy two forms.
STEP THREE
Write an application to the agency stating your intention to register a product. The application should give details of the product name (general name), brand name, and the name of the manufacturer. Address your application to:
The Director
Registration and Regulatory Affairs
NAFDAC
Central Laboratory Complex
Oshodi, Lagos.
STEP FOUR
Submit the application together with your completed registration form and attach the required documents. It is important to strictly adhere to all the requirements expected of you by the agency.
Most people consider the NAFDAC registration procedure as frustrating and time-consuming. However, if you follow the right information and submit the required documents, the whole process should take you about three months.
STEP FIVE
After successful registration, you will be offered a certificate of registration and NAFDAC registration number for the product.
Requirements FOR NAFDAC REGISTRATION
So many products are regulated by NAFDAC in Nigeria. The requirement for each product is categorized into two broad groups:
- Food
- Drugs
Consequently, the documents you would be required to submit with your registration will depend on whether your product falls into the food or drug category. The registration requirement also depends on if the product is imported or manufactured locally in Nigeria.
Irrespective of the product you are registering, NAFDAC would only give you a registration number/certificate after your product has passed the quality and standard test carried out by the agency.
REQUIREMENT FOR FOOD PRODUCTS
- Your certificate of incorporation issued by the corporate affairs commission (CAC)
- The certificate of inspection/recognition issued by NAFDAC.
- Comprehensive Certificate of analysis of the batch of product submitted for registration from the manufacturer stating the name and signature of the analyst.
- Trade mark approval for your brand name by the Federal Ministry of Commerce (where applicable).
- Application form forwarded to the Director stating the name of the manufacturer, brand name, and product or products (as the case may be).
REQUIREMENT FOR DRUGS
- Your certificate of incorporation issued by the corporate affairs commission (CAC)
- A signed and endorsed certificate of Pharmaceutical Product.
- Submit three samples of your product for quality analysis and inspection.
- Original copy of the Power of Attorney from the product manufacturer (if imported).
- Completed NAFDAC application form.
- The application letter for registration of the product.
- Letter of invitation from manufacturer to inspect factory abroad, full names, and site of the plant.
The requirements for registration of imported food or drug products include all those stated above. Other terms and conditions that you would need to meet for successful registration of imported products include:
An applicant for a manufacturer outside Nigeria must file evidence of Power of Attorney from the manufacturer.
You must provide evidence that the manufacturer of the imported food or drug product is licensed to sell such product in the country of origin and that the sale of the product does not constitute a contravention of the food laws of that country of origin.
Permit to import samples.
A letter of Invitation to inspect the factory abroad.
The applicant must be based in Nigeria and must have a duly signed Power of Attorney from the manufacturer authorizing the Nigerian representative to act in their capacity in Nigeria and with the name of the product explicitly stated. You can find more information on the NAFDAC website.
How to Verify a NAFDAC Number?
It is not uncommon to see fake products parading numbers purported to be issued by NAFDAC. Most times fake products also carry genuine NAFDAC numbers originally issued to the real product.
As a result of this, verifying a NAFDAC number does not mean a product is genuine, it simply means the number is in the database of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control as assigned to the product with that name.
To Verify a NAFDAC Number all you need is your mobile phone or any device connected to the internet. Log on to the official NAFDAC verification page and search for the product with the NAFDAC registration number. Use the Printed NAFDAC Number. Follow these simple steps;
Step 1: Visit https://nafdacverify.com.ng/
Step 2: Enter the printed NAFDAC number on the product into the column for a registration number
Step 3: Click on Verify product
