The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has dismissed reports circulating on social media that Amoxicillin has been secretly banned in Nigeria, describing the claims as false and misleading.
In a statement shared on its official X handle on Monday, the agency said its attention was drawn to a viral video alleging that the widely used antibiotic had been banned nationwide.
NAFDAC clarified that no such ban exists.
The agency explained that while it routinely issues safety alerts, recalls and other regulatory actions on specific substandard or affected batches of medicines, there has been no blanket ban on Amoxicillin in the country.
“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,” the statement said.
It noted that NAFDAC regularly informs the public through recalls, safety alerts, blacklists and other notices on any substandard, falsified or affected products requiring regulatory action. Such communications, the agency added, clearly specify product names, batch numbers, manufacturers and the steps to be taken, providing critical information for healthcare providers and patients.
NAFDAC further explained that blacklisting, where applicable, involves restricting specific companies from the sale, distribution or use of their products due to safety concerns, regulatory violations or unethical practices.
According to the agency, in recent months it issued targeted safety alerts on certain brands and batches of Amoxicillin. In August 2025, Public Alert No. 24/2025 announced the recall of Amoxivue (Amoxicillin) 500mg capsules due to low Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) content. In October 2025, Public Alert No. 34/2025 addressed substandard batches of Astamocil and Astamentin suspensions, while Public Alert No. 35/2025 notified the public of substandard batches of Annmox and Jawamox suspensions.
The agency stressed that these actions were limited to identified products and do not amount to a ban on Amoxicillin.
NAFDAC urged the public, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders to disregard the misinformation and avoid spreading unverified claims capable of causing unnecessary panic.
It also advised Nigerians to rely only on updates and announcements from NAFDAC’s verified communication channels for accurate information on medicines and public health matters.
Elijah Adeyemi
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