Nigeria’s poultry sector under siege by fake veterinary medicines

Stakeholders in the poultry industry have raised concerns that the growing circulation of fake and substandard vet­erinary medicines in Nigeria’s livestock sector could weaken the country’s ability to compete in regional and international agricultural markets, particularly under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

They warned that unless urgent regulatory reforms are implemented to eliminate counterfeit veterinary medic­inal products (VMPs), Nigeria’s poultry industry risks losing credibility in export markets where strict food safety and qual­ity standards are required.

The stakeholders in separate inter­views with our correspondent noted that the use of ineffective medicines does not only affect farm productivity but also raises serious concerns about food safe­ty and product quality, issues that are critical for cross-border trade, reports Daily Independent.

According to them, countries participating in AfCFTA are ex­pected to meet strict sanitary and phytosanitary standards, mean­ing that poultry products asso­ciated with drug residues, poor disease control, or questionable pharmaceutical use could face rejection in regional markets.

They stressed that Nigeria’s ability to fully benefit from the continental trade agreement may therefore be compromised if the circulation of substandard veteri­nary drugs continues unchecked.

Speaking on the economic implications for farmers, Prince Oyewumi Oyetunde, a stakehold­er in the livestock sub-sector, ex­plained that fake or ineffective veterinary medicines have se­vere consequences for poultry operations, both financially and operationally.

He said one of the most imme­diate impacts is treatment failure when drugs do not contain the re­quired active ingredients or are poorly formulated.

“When drugs don’t work as they should because they are fake or of low quality, diseases like Newcastle disease, salmonellosis, or respiratory infections remain uncontrolled,” he said.

According to him, this often leads to increased bird mortality, reduced egg production, and slow­er growth rates among surviving birds.

“These conditions significant­ly reduce the quantity and quality of products farmers can bring to market,” he added.

Oyewunmi noted that the financial burden on farmers in­creases because money spent on ineffective medication is wasted, and producers are often forced to purchase additional drugs to treat the same illnesses.

He also warned that persistent treatment failures could disrupt normal farm operations, as un­controlled disease outbreaks interfere with feeding schedules, vaccination programmes, and overall flock management.

Another concern, he said, is the risk of antimicrobial resis­tance, which occurs when weak or inappropriate drugs are repeat­edly used.

This can make diseases hard­er to treat over time and force farmers to rely on more expen­sive alternatives, further increas­ing production costs.

Oyewunmi added that the problem can ultimately affect con­sumer trust and market access.

“If fake drugs lead to poor-quality meat or eggs, con­sumers may lose confidence in poultry products, which can af­fect sales and limit access to larger market channels,” he said.

He also noted that farms hop­ing to participate in regional or international markets could face rejection if their products fail to meet quality and safety stan­dards.

For many poultry farmers, the consequences of using sub­standard medicines can be dev­astating.

Another stakeholder, Iyiola Mojeed, Chairman, Poultry As­sociation of Nigeria (PAN), Lagos State chapter, described poultry farming as a highly sensitive busi­ness where even small errors in disease management can lead to total farm failure.

“Poultry business is very sen­sitive. Any mistake can cause the total closure of a farm,” he said.

Mojeed explained that when farmers unknowingly adminis­ter fake or ineffective drugs, they often experience double losses.

According to him, the first loss occurs when birds fail to recover from disease and mortality rates increase, while the second loss comes from the wasted money spent on ineffective medication.

Beyond financial damage, he said the experience can also cre­ate emotional stress for farmers who watch their investments col­lapse despite their efforts to main­tain proper farm management.

He added that one of the big­gest challenges farmers face is the difficulty in distinguishing between genuine and counterfeit veterinary drugs.

“Most farmers can hardly differentiate between fake and authentic drugs because the packaging often looks the same,” he said.

“In many cases, it is only after the drugs have been used and the birds continue to die that farmers realise they have purchased sub­standard products.”

Mojeed also raised concerns about individuals posing as vet­erinary professionals without proper training or certification.

According to him, such un­qualified personnel sometimes administer drugs incorrectly, worsening disease outbreaks and increasing losses for farmers.

“These unqualified people pa­rading themselves as veterinary doctors often cause more harm than good,” he said.

He urged the government to strengthen oversight of the im­portation process for veterinary medicines, warning that the sys­tem must not be compromised or politicised.

“The authorities must careful­ly scrutinize who is given impor­tation certificates for veterinary drugs,” he said.

Mojeed also called on the Ni­gerian Veterinary Medical Asso­ciation to intensify monitoring of veterinary drug outlets to ensure only approved products are sold.

Similarly, the warning formed part of discussions at a stakehold­ers’ roundtable convened by the Minister of Livestock Develop­ment, where the Poultry Associ­ation of Nigeria (PAN) and indus­try experts examined the growing threat posed by unauthorised vet­erinary drugs.

In his submission at the stake­holders’ roundtable, Sunday Eze­obiora, the National President of the Poultry Association of Nige­ria (PAN), emphasised that the problem of unauthorised veter­inary medicines is affecting the entire poultry value chain.

He said the industry, which represents billions of naira in in­vestment and plays a vital role in Nigeria’s food security, is current­ly under serious pressure due to drug failures linked to counterfeit and substandard pharmaceutical products.

According to him, the issue goes beyond the marketing and use of veterinary medicines and should be addressed across the entire supply chain, including im­portation, local production, circu­lation, sales, and administration.

“The poultry industry is un­der siege from the proliferation of unauthorised veterinary me­dicinal products,” he said.

Ezeobiora noted that ineffec­tive drugs contribute to higher mortality rates, stunted bird growth, declining egg produc­tion, and the eventual collapse of many poultry investments.

He also warned that the use of substandard medicines could result in drug residues in poultry meat and eggs, posing potential risks to public health.

To address the challenge, the PAN president called for stron­ger enforcement of existing reg­ulations, including provisions in the Animal Diseases (Control) Act 2022 that prohibit the impor­tation of veterinary pharmaceu­tical products without proper authorisation.

He also advocated the estab­lishment of a functional National Veterinary Formulary that would serve as the benchmark for reg­ulating veterinary medicines in Nigeria.

Such a framework, he ex­plained, would ensure that both imported and locally produced veterinary drugs meet strict standards for safety, formulation, and effectiveness before reaching farmers.

Ezeobiora further stressed the need for stronger collaboration among government agencies, veterinarians, and poultry farm­ers to eliminate pharmaceutical quackery and improve monitor­ing of veterinary practices.

He added that raising aware­ness among farmers about the risks associated with unautho­rised veterinary medicines would also play a crucial role in tackling the problem.

“The Poultry Association of Nigeria stands ready to collab­orate with the government and other stakeholders to rid the live­stock industry of fake veterinary medicinal products,” he said.

According to him, decisive ac­tion is necessary to protect farm­ers’ investments, safeguard public health, and strengthen Nigeria’s poultry sector in an increasingly competitive regional market.