In a bold move to combat the persistent menace of counterfeit drugs, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has unveiled two innovative mobile technologies—“Scan 2 Verify” and the “Green Book App”—designed to authenticate medicines and safeguard public health in Nigeria’s North-East region.

At a two-day sensitisation workshop held in Gombe, stakeholders across the healthcare sector, including pharmaceutical vendors, medical practitioners, and regulatory officers, were introduced to the new tools, which are expected to revolutionise how Nigerians verify the authenticity of their medications.

Speaking at the workshop on Wednesday, NAFDAC’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by the Director of Post-Marketing Surveillance, Bitrus Fraden, stressed that the technologies are part of the agency’s broader strategy to eliminate fake drugs from the country’s pharmaceutical supply chain.

“All drugs registered by NAFDAC are safe and can be found only through authorised outlets,” Adeyeye assured participants, noting that the Green Book App acts as a digital registry of all certified medicines approved by the agency.

The Scan 2 Verify platform allows users to quickly scan product labels and verify their authenticity, while the Green Book App offers a searchable database of approved medications. Any drug not listed, Adeyeye warned, should be treated as potentially counterfeit.

The initiative comes amid growing concerns over the prevalence of substandard and falsified medicines, particularly in Nigeria’s underserved regions. Participants at the workshop welcomed the development, hailing it as a timely intervention.

Yakubu Yusuf and Hauwa Musa, both patent medicine dealers who attended the session, described the training as a “critical step” in addressing the health risks posed by counterfeit drugs. “We now have practical tools to help protect our customers and ensure they receive genuine medicines,” Yusuf said.

NAFDAC reiterated its commitment to ongoing nationwide enforcement actions, including the shutdown of counterfeit drug markets in Lagos, Onitsha, and other locations notorious for distributing fake pharmaceuticals.

The agency also underscored the vital role of public awareness in its anti-counterfeiting campaign. It urged consumers to take personal responsibility by verifying medicines before use and making informed decisions regarding their health.

As the fight against fake drugs intensifies, NAFDAC’s digital innovations may prove to be a turning point in restoring public confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system.