NAFDAC Denies Banning Amoxicillin
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has dismissed a social media video claiming the agency secretly banned the sale and use of Amoxicillin in Nigeria.
NAFDAC said while it routinely issues targeted safety alerts and recalls on specific substandard or affected batches of medicines, there is no blanket ban on the antibiotic in Nigeria.
The disclaimer is contained in a statement by the Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, on Monday in Abuja.
“NAFDAC has not banned Amoxicillin in Nigeria, either secretly or openly. As a responsible regulatory authority, the Agency publicly notifies Nigerians of any regulatory actions through official channels. NAFDAC alerts the public through its Recalls, Safety Alerts, Blacklists, and other safety notices of any substandard, falsified or affected products requiring regulatory action,” the statement read.
NAFDAC further explained that safety communications clearly outline specific product names, batch numbers, manufacturers, and the necessary measures to be taken.
It added that blacklisting, where applicable, involves prohibiting specific companies from the sale, distribution, or use of their products due to safety concerns, regulatory violations, or unethical practices.
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The agency had recently issued targeted safety alerts on certain brands and batches of Amoxicillin, which include: August 2025 recall of Amoxivue (Amoxicillin) 500mg capsules with Public Alert No. 24/2025, due to low Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) content.
In October 2025, Public Alert No. 34/2025 addressed substandard batches of Astamocil and Astamentin suspensions, and Public Alert No. 35/2025 notified the public of substandard batches of Annmox and Jawamox suspensions.
NAFDAC emphasised that these actions were specific to identified products and do not constitute a ban on Amoxicillin.
It urged the public, healthcare professionals, and stakeholders to disregard the misinformation and rely only on verified updates published on NAFDAC’s official channels.
