“Nigerians Are Very Ignorant” – NAFDAC DG Tackles Those Blaming Agency For Fake Food Products

• NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, has pushed back against Nigerians blaming the agency for the circulation of fake and unsafe food products.
• She said many Nigerians do not understand NAFDAC’s mandate, explaining that the agency regulates processed and semi-processed foods while the Ministry of Agriculture has primary responsibility for fresh produce.

The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, has criticised Nigerians who blame the agency for the circulation of fake and unsafe food products in the market.

Adeyeye spoke during an interview with BusinessDay TV while explaining NAFDAC’s responsibilities and the roles of other government agencies in ensuring food safety.

The NAFDAC boss said many Nigerians do not understand the agency’s mandate and often hold it responsible for products outside its regulatory jurisdiction.

“Nigerians are very ignorant, We don’t read, We don’t understand. From farm to fork, there are many organizations that are involved,” she said.

According to Adeyeye, NAFDAC’s mandate covers processed and semi-processed foods, while the Ministry of Agriculture has primary responsibility for fresh agricultural produce.

“NAFDAC mandate is for processed or semi-processed food. So the oranges you buy in the market, we don’t, we don’t control the oranges we buy in the market,” she said.

She explained that NAFDAC, however, regulates pesticides and works with the Ministry of Agriculture to train farmers on their proper use, including when to apply them and when crops should be harvested after treatment.

Adeyeye also linked some cases of pesticide misuse to poor understanding of instructions on chemical products.

“We have about 56% illetracy. If it is a literate country, they will read. Which one ‘’put one teaspoon in one gallon”. Sometimes, our people don’t understand. They think the more you put, the better,” she said.

She stressed that food safety involves several government agencies at different stages of the food chain, rather than NAFDAC alone.

Her comments come amid growing public complaints about suspected fake and substandard food products in Nigerian markets. BusinessDay had also reported in September that NAFDAC removed 7,210 products from circulation after inspections across the country between May and July 2026.

Adeyeye maintained that while NAFDAC has a role in food safety and pesticide regulation, the Ministry of Agriculture remains primarily responsible for fresh produce and farmer education on agricultural practices.