Kehinde Fajobi
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised concerns over its severe understaffing, with the agency’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, revealing that its current workforce is far below what is required.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos on Thursday to outline NAFDAC’s strategic focus for 2025, Adeyeye stated, “The number of staff that an agency has or should have depends on the population of the country because it is easier to regulate a country with one million than a country with 300 million people.
“I’m just giving an example based on our population; we are supposed to have nothing less than 10,000 staff; we have about 2,000 right now.
“We burn candles on both ends, overstress ourselves because we have to safeguard the health of Nigerians. We are not asking for 10,000 staff now; we are just asking for double or triple what we currently have.”
Despite the staffing challenges, Adeyeye outlined five strategic pillars the agency would prioritise in 2025 to protect public health.
These include strong governance and leadership, maternal, newborn, and child health, institutionalising best practices, ensuring the safety and quality of regulated products, and enhancing supply chain monitoring.
Reflecting on NAFDAC’s achievements over the past seven years, Adeyeye noted, “Reflection on the past seven years has brought into focus the many accomplishments that have been achieved in NAFDAC and so many others to be attained.
“This realisation has sharpened my focus on how to strategically work towards continued strengthening of the regulatory system as a needed path toward safeguarding the health of the nation.”
She added that the agency would continue to unlock the value chain by strengthening industries and ensuring access to quality regulated products.
Adeyeye emphasised the importance of strong governance and leadership, which she said would keep the workforce motivated and disciplined. She also highlighted the agency’s commitment to staff training as a key priority.
Focusing on maternal, newborn, and child health, Adeyeye explained that the agency would prioritise the safety and quality of products to address issues such as postpartum haemorrhage and maternal mortality while reducing child morbidity.
“Great emphasis will be placed on paediatric antimalarials and antibiotics. Manufacturers will be incentivised to develop paediatric medicines and handheld toward achieving WHO prequalification,” she added.
As NAFDAC moves forward, Adeyeye assured the public that the agency remains dedicated to its mission of safeguarding the health of Nigerians through strategic initiatives and strengthened regulatory frameworks.