The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has refuted viral claims suggesting that Amoxicillin, a commonly prescribed antibiotic, has been banned in Nigeria.
In a statement shared Monday on its official X account, the agency said it was responding to a video circulating online which alleged that the drug had been secretly taken off the market.
NAFDAC described the claim as “false, misleading, and capable of creating unnecessary fear among Nigerians.”
According to the regulator, at no time did it issue a nationwide prohibition on Amoxicillin.
“NAFDAC has not banned Amoxicillin in Nigeria, either secretly or openly,” the agency emphasised. “As a responsible regulatory authority, we announce all regulatory actions through verified public channels.”
The agency explained that although it regularly issues safety notifications on specific substandard or falsified batches of medicines, these targeted actions should not be misconstrued as a blanket ban.
It noted that in 2025 it released several alerts affecting only particular batches of Amoxicillin products. These included the recall of Amoxivue 500mg capsules in August for low active ingredient content, followed by notices in October concerning substandard batches of Astamocil, Astamentin, Annmox, and Jawamox suspensions.
“These alerts,” NAFDAC said, “identify product names, batch numbers, and manufacturers, and outline the steps to be taken by the public and health providers.”
The agency urged Nigerians and health workers to ignore unfounded information and rely exclusively on updates from NAFDAC’s official communication platforms.
