The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has firmly denied reports suggesting that the antibiotic Amoxicillin has been banned in Nigeria, describing the claims as misleading and unfounded.
The regulatory agency said it became aware of the information circulating widely on social media platforms and clarified that no prohibition, whether covert or official, has been placed on the use, sale, or distribution of Amoxicillin in the country.
Brandspur Health News Desk reports that NAFDAC explained that its regulatory actions are often misunderstood, particularly when the agency issues safety alerts or product recalls involving specific medicines. According to the agency, such actions are limited to identified products or batches that fail to meet quality or safety standards and should not be interpreted as a ban on an entire drug category.
In a statement released via its official X platform on Monday, NAFDAC stressed that any regulatory decision affecting public health is always communicated transparently through its recognised channels. The agency noted that safety alerts typically include clear details such as the product name, batch number, manufacturer, and the specific concern identified during post-market surveillance.
NAFDAC further clarified that blacklisting, where it occurs, is directed at companies found to have violated regulatory guidelines or engaged in unsafe practices, not at medicines as a whole. It said this distinction is necessary to prevent unnecessary panic among patients and healthcare providers.
Citing recent examples, the agency recalled that in August 2025 it issued a public alert on Amoxivue 500mg capsules after laboratory analysis revealed low levels of active pharmaceutical ingredients. It also referenced additional alerts released in October 2025 concerning substandard batches of Astamocil, Astamentin, Annmox, and Jawamox suspensions.
The agency emphasised that all these actions were targeted interventions aimed at protecting public health and ensuring drug quality, adding that none amounted to a nationwide ban on Amoxicillin.
NAFDAC advised Nigerians, medical practitioners, and pharmaceutical stakeholders to verify information relating to medicines through its official platforms and to disregard unverified claims capable of causing confusion or disrupting access to essential treatments.
