NAFDAC Denies Social Media Ban on Amoxicillin, Calls Reports False

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has refuted claims circulating online that it has banned the widely used antibiotic Amoxicillin in Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Monday, the agency described a viral video alleging a secret ban as false and misleading, clarifying that no such general prohibition exists.

NAFDAC explained that while it regularly issues safety alerts or recalls for specific substandard batches of medicines, these actions are targeted and publicly communicated. The agency emphasized it has not imposed any blanket ban on Amoxicillin.

“NAFDAC has not banned Amoxicillin in Nigeria, either secretly or openly,” the statement read. It further detailed that regulatory actions, such as recalls or blacklisting, are always announced through official channels and specify affected products, batches, and manufacturers.

The agency pointed to recent examples, including a recall in August 2025 of one brand of Amoxicillin capsules due to low active ingredient content, and alerts in October 2025 concerning specific batches of several Amoxicillin suspensions. NAFDAC stressed these were targeted measures, not an overall ban.

The statement urged the public, healthcare professionals, and stakeholders to disregard the misinformation and avoid spreading unverified claims that could cause unnecessary panic.

NAFDAC also advised Nigerians to rely only on official updates from its verified communication channels for accurate information regarding medicines and public health.