The pronouncement by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) that there are 1,400 illegal, unmanned routes for smuggling of contraband foods and drugs has reinforced Nigeria’s status as a dumping ground. Taiwo Hassan reports

Recently, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement at the 12th Extraordinary Session of the African Union Heads of State in Niamey, Republic of Niger.

It is believed that the pact will boost the country’s trade and market access even though it was initially opposed by members of the organised private sector (OPS) due to the likelihood of turning the country into a dumping ground for all sorts of sub-standard goods coming in through porous land borders.

The reason for this hype is not far-fetched due to goods smuggling effect on the country’s manufacturing sector.

Manufacturers’ plights

In short, several reports have showed that decline in the manufacturing production could be traced to sluggishness in the country’s economy, following preference for foreign goods even at the detriment of patronising local ones.

MAN in its 2018 Executive Summary of the Nigerian economic review explained that there was a sharp decline in country’s manufacturing capacity utilisation, which it ascribed to the general low macro-economic ambience in the country.

The association explained that utilization of local raw-materials by manufacturers had been on a decline for awhile now following the negative impacts of smuggling, product cloning and counterfeiting, which rendered businesses low.

Particularly, the association lamented the effect of smuggling and other trade malpractices such as counterfeiting and product cloning nationwide.

It explained these challenges were responsible for the large volume of fake products in circulation.     

NAFDAC’s findings

However, recent findings by NAFDAC that the country has about 1,400 illegal and unmanned routes used for smuggling of contraband foods and drugs has put a question mark on government’s plans to end the influx of fake drugs, contraband goods into the country.

The agency’s Director of Public Affairs, Abubakar Jimoh, disclosed in Abuja recently that there was concern over what he termed ‘porous nature of the country’s borders,’ which enables easy smuggling of contraband foods and drugs into the country without security checks.

He confirmed that the nation’s borders were seriously porous, with about 1,400 illegal and unmanned routes, saying that these routes are economic sabotage to the country’s economy and manufacturing.

Jimoh said: “The vulnerability of the country’s borders made it possible for other countries to see Nigeria as dumping ground because Nigeria has 1,400 illegal routes, through which foods and drugs can be smuggled in. We are vulnerable and all sorts of things find their way into the country.”

The director explained that the agency’s Pharmacovigilance department, which monitors goods coming into the country was doing its best, adding that the department often embarks on surveillance to get information needed to stop illegal importation of food items and drugs into the country.

He stressed that “the department was created to ensure that goods that did not pass through the normal channels were seized and those behind it were apprehended.”

Anti-smuggling task force

Following the impact of smuggling on the country’s manufacturing sector, MAN is urging the Federal Government to establish an anti-smuggling task force for surveillance, constant raiding of Nigerian markets to complement the Nigerian Customs Service and other agencies at the borders. 

The association said: “The damaging and scourging effects of smuggling and other trade malpractices were heavy on the manufacturing sector last year. MAN’s position on smuggling and other trade malpractices such counterfeiting and product cloning on most of the sectoral groupings in the manufacturing sector has been affirmed by the closure of some firms. Our expectation is that government would put in place necessary modalities to ensure the smooth take-off of the task force this year.”

Overlapping functions

On its part, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) revealed that overlapping responsibilities of Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and NAFDAC was causing revenue leakages amid increase in fake, substandard and counterfeiting products in circulation.

President, LCCI, Babatunde Ruwase, explained that the quest of the two agencies to get rid of fake and substandard products as well as counterfeiting was fuelling increase in product adulteration of many leading brands in the consumer and durable products sectors.

Ruwase explained that investigations carried out among its members operating in the country’s consumer and durable products sector indicated that the overlapping responsibilities of the two organisations towards tackling the menace and growing incidence of fake and substandard products in circulation was affecting the market share of the leading brands.

According to him, statutorily, the two agencies of government have done well in the discharge of their responsibilities to ensure that fake and substandard products as well as counterfeiting are eliminated in the country, saying that it was alarming that despite their monitoring and policing responsibilities, there is still increase in fake and substandard products in circulation.

Last line

NAFDAC’s revelation of numerous porous land borders has once again confirmed the collapse of the country’s security apparatus and failure of government to stamp its authority on eradicating fake products in circulation.