The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has urged the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to conduct random laboratory tests on drugs, food, drinks and packaged water sold around Nigerian campuses amid concerns about potential health risks.
The association also called for stronger surveillance of markets, shops and businesses operating around universities and student residential areas, warning that unsafe consumer products could expose students to preventable illnesses.
NANS made the demands in an open letter to NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, dated Friday, October 16, 2026. The letter was signed by the association’s Director of Health, Augustine Onovughegor.
The students’ body said reports from campus health centres, teaching hospitals and student communities had raised concerns about the safety of products consumed by young Nigerians.
It listed kidney and liver complications, seizure disorders, gastrointestinal infections, foodborne illnesses and suspected chemical poisoning among the health problems reported in young people.
However, the letter did not provide specific case numbers or laboratory findings establishing that the reported conditions were caused by contaminated food, falsified medicines or other unsafe products.
NANS argued that the concerns nevertheless warranted stronger regulatory attention, particularly around institutions where students frequently depend on nearby vendors for meals, drinking water and medicines.
“When the regulator is absent, the market becomes a laboratory of harm, and our students become the experimental subjects,” the letter stated.
Students outline demands for NAFDAC
The association outlined several measures it wants the regulator to implement, including risk-based inspections around campuses and random laboratory testing of products sold to students.
It urged NAFDAC to issue prompt public warnings when unsafe products are identified, recall affected items and prosecute manufacturers or distributors found to have supplied substandard or falsified products.
NANS also called for closer collaboration between the agency and campus health facilities to improve the reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions and foodborne illnesses.
Other proposals included creating a publicly accessible database of registered products, improving batch-verification systems and expanding consumer education on identifying counterfeit medicines and potentially unsafe food products.
The association further advocated sustained awareness campaigns to help students recognise suspicious products and report potential safety concerns.
Focus on food and drug safety
NAFDAC is responsible for regulating food, drugs and other products within its statutory mandate in Nigeria. Its work includes addressing substandard and falsified medicines, unsafe food products and other regulated goods that may pose risks to public health.
Product testing, risk-based inspections, traceability and recalls are important tools for identifying unsafe goods and limiting consumer exposure.
NANS argued that resource constraints should not prevent urgent action where public health could be at risk.
Its proposed campus-focused approach would place greater emphasis on informal retail outlets and vendors serving student populations, alongside the agency’s wider regulatory responsibilities.
The association also stressed the importance of making product information accessible to consumers so students can check registration details and identify potentially suspicious goods.
Improved reporting from campus clinics could also help health professionals and regulators identify possible patterns involving suspected adverse drug reactions or foodborne illnesses. Establishing the causes of such illnesses, however, requires appropriate clinical assessments, laboratory investigations and reliable surveillance data.
NANS demands accountability
The students’ body said protecting young Nigerians required coordinated action by regulators, healthcare providers, educational institutions and businesses serving campus communities.
It called for stronger enforcement against suppliers found to have distributed unsafe products, alongside public education and more effective systems for reporting suspected violations.
NANS concluded its appeal with a warning about the importance of protecting students from preventable health risks.
“The blood of Nigerian students is not a statistic. Protect our market. Protect our food. Protect our drugs. Protect our future,” the letter stated.
The association’s demands place renewed attention on food and drug safety around Nigerian tertiary institutions, although the specific health concerns raised in the letter require further evidence to establish their scale and any direct links to particular products.
