Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has seized counterfeit packaging materials valued at more than ₦200 million from five shops at Old Court Road Market in Aba, Abia State, in an operation reported on 15 October 2026. The recovered materials bore the names of several beverage brands and were allegedly intended for use in producing counterfeit alcoholic drinks and other consumer products.
The seized items included labels, corks and packs bearing the names of Jameson, Glenfiddich, Four Cousins and Lord’s Dry Gin. The operation raises concerns for beverage manufacturers, distributors and retailers because counterfeit packaging can make unauthorised products appear genuine, complicating efforts to verify their origin and protect consumers.
Materials Bear Multiple Brands
The packaging also carried the names of Imperial Blue, Goya Oil, Chelsea, Squadron and Seaman’s Aromatic Schnapps. The presence of these names suggests that the suspected operation extended beyond a single drinks category, although the seizure alone does not establish which finished products were manufactured, whether any reached consumers or how widely the materials were distributed.
Resistance During Enforcement
NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement operatives encountered threats and resistance from traders during the raid, making it difficult to evacuate the seized materials. The owners of the five shops were absent, and the premises were sealed to prevent interference with the items left inside while the agency pursued further inquiries.
The market union chairman was subsequently invited and pledged to help secure the sealed premises and assist in identifying the shop owners. As of 18 October, publicly available information had not established whether arrests had been made in connection with the Aba operation or identified the individuals responsible for supplying the materials.
Commercial Risks Extend Beyond Aba
Counterfeit packaging allows unauthorised producers to imitate established brands, potentially undermining consumer confidence and exposing legitimate manufacturers to reputational damage. For distributors and retailers, the problem raises questions about product traceability and supplier verification, particularly when packaging alone cannot establish whether a drink originated from an authorised producer.
The Aba seizure follows a separate operation at Zamfara Plaza in Lagos’s BBA Trade Fair Complex on 13 October, where NAFDAC reported recovering products valued at more than ₦2 billion and arresting two suspects. The agency has not established a connection between the two operations, but both demonstrate the different points at which suspected counterfeit beverage supply chains can be targeted.
