The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has dismissed reports claiming that amoxicillin has been secretly banned in Nigeria, describing the information as false and misleading.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the agency has neither secretly nor openly imposed a ban on the widely used antibiotic. The clarification followed a viral social media post alleging that NAFDAC had quietly withdrawn amoxicillin from circulation.
“NAFDAC has not banned amoxicillin in Nigeria, either secretly or openly,” the agency stated, stressing that any regulatory action taken by the agency is always communicated transparently through its official channels.
NAFDAC explained that while there is no ban on the drug, the agency has, in recent months, issued targeted public safety alerts on specific brands and batches of amoxicillin found to be substandard.
According to the agency, Public Alert No. 24/2025 issued in August 2025 announced the recall of Amoxivue (Amoxicillin) 500mg capsules due to low active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) content. In October 2025, Public Alert No. 34/2025 warned against substandard batches of Astamocil and Astamentin suspensions, while Public Alert No. 35/2025 also flagged substandard batches of Annmox and Jawamox suspensions.
NAFDAC emphasised that these recalls were product-specific and based on quality concerns, noting that such actions should not be misconstrued as a general ban on amoxicillin.
The agency urged the public to rely on verified information from its official platforms and avoid spreading unconfirmed claims capable of causing unnecessary panic, particularly regarding essential medicines.