On July 21, 2026, the senate has approved a bill on second reading aimed at overhauling Nigeria’s obsolete food and drug regulations. This legislation seeks to establish a unified, modern legal framework to better protect public health and ensure effective oversight of products nationwide.
The proposed legislation, titled the Food, Medical Products and Other Regulated Products Act, seeks to repeal the decades-old Food, Drug and Related Products (Registration, Etc.) Act and the Food and Drug Act, consolidating regulation under a single, modern statutory authority.
Sponsored by Senator Sadiq Umar (APC, Kwara North), a public health pharmacist, the bill addresses critical regulatory gaps created by rapid advancements in healthcare, digital commerce, and complex supply chains.
Following widespread cross-party support, Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary), directing it to conduct further legislative scrutiny and report back within four weeks.
Leading the debate, Senator Umar emphasized that current regulatory laws no longer reflect modern realities or international best practices.
The health of a nation is one of the greatest measures of its development. Today, the regulatory landscape has changed dramatically. The world now deals with biotechnology, vaccines, biosimilars, advanced medical devices, AI-assisted diagnostics, online pharmaceutical commerce, and sophisticated criminal networks engaged in counterfeit products. This bill enacts a modern, comprehensive statute for Nigeria.
Senator Suleiman Umar
Key Pillars of the Proposed Reform
The comprehensive legislation expands regulatory oversight, introduces stringent safety protocols, and aligns Nigeria with international quality assurance standards:
Expanded Product Scope: Establishes regulatory authority over processed foods, animal feeds, human medicines, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), vaccines, medical devices, in-vitro diagnostics, tobacco products, chemicals, packaged water, and home-care products.
Enhanced Safety Protocols: Introduces mandatory pre-registration product evaluations, continuous safety monitoring, end-to-end supply chain traceability, and emergency product recall powers.
Clinical Research Framework: For the first time, provides explicit statutory provisions governing clinical trials, performance evaluations, and human intervention studies.
International Quality Standards: Institutionalizes globally recognized operational frameworks, including Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Good Distribution Practice (GDP), Good Storage Practice (GSP), Good Clinical Practice (GCP), and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP).
Export & Economic Competitiveness: Positions locally manufactured products to meet international export requirements and fosters cross-border regulatory cooperation.
Lawmakers overwhelmingly voiced support for the reform, commending Senator Umar for applying his professional background as a pharmacist to strengthen national health policy.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin praised Umar’s dedication to national interest, while Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central) noted that updating these laws is long overdue to safeguard citizens’ wellbeing. Addressing broader economic impacts, Senator Diket Plang (Plateau Central) highlighted the bill’s alignment with national agricultural goals to ensure food processing safety, and Senator Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South) urged for greater integration and holistic regulation of indigenous traditional medicine.
Senate President Akpabio encouraged robust participation from industry stakeholders during the upcoming public committee hearings to help shape a world-class legal framework.
