FG raises the alarm over spread of fake veterinary drugs

The Federal Government of Nigeria has expressed concern over the continued circulation of substandard and falsified veterinary medicines, blaming weak regulatory compliance and poorly coordinated importation processes.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar, raised the issue during a national stakeholders’ round-table on veterinary drug quality and regulation held on Friday in Abuja.

Mukhtar said gaps in monitoring local manufacturing and distribution channels have enabled low-quality veterinary products to enter the market, leaving many livestock farmers unknowingly purchasing ineffective drugs.

He noted that the use of such products often leads to treatment failure, financial losses and preventable livestock deaths, ultimately weakening productivity across the sector.

The minister described the livestock industry as a key component of Nigeria’s agricultural transformation agenda, with millions depending on it for income, nutrition, employment and livelihood security. He added that animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and poultry play a major role in protein supply, rural economies and national economic growth.

Mukhtar stressed that the sector’s sustainability depends on the availability and proper use of safe and effective veterinary medicines.

He identified the misuse of antimicrobials — including incorrect dosages, poor storage and unsupervised administration — as a major driver of antimicrobial resistance, which poses risks to animal and human health, food safety and the environment.

According to him, resistant pathogens can easily spread between animals and humans, making the challenge a shared public health concern that requires urgent collective action.

The minister called for a stronger and more coordinated regulatory framework, describing veterinary drug quality assurance as both a regulatory responsibility and a national security priority. He added that successful disease-control programmes rely heavily on the integrity of medicines used by farmers.

Mukhtar urged stakeholders to propose practical measures to strengthen regulation, improve licensing and distribution systems, enhance post-market surveillance and curb counterfeit products.

He also emphasised the need to raise awareness among livestock owners, many of whom rely on informal vendors due to limited access to trained veterinary professionals.

Mukhtar reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to working with stakeholders to build a transparent and accountable veterinary drug system that guarantees farmers access to safe, affordable and effective medicines.