On July 16, 2026, The Senate Committee on Finance has initiated legislative action to facilitate the implementation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive approving the refund of unauthorized Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) deductions to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The decision follows testimony by NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, during an investigative hearing on the remittance of IGR and operating surpluses for the 2023–2025 fiscal years.
Prof. Adeyeye revealed that despite obtaining presidential approval in August 2025 to return unauthorized deductions and exempt NAFDAC from the revenue-generating agency framework, the agency has yet to receive the official implementation letter.
Key details highlighted during the Senate hearing include:
Financial Impact: Out of approximately ₦21 billion directly deducted from client fees before reaching the agency, only ₦13 billion has been returned, leaving NAFDAC with an outstanding liability of roughly ₦3.9 billion.
Operational Strain: The withheld funds have severely hindered critical operations, including enforcement, post-marketing surveillance, laboratory testing, and facility inspections.
Revenue Growth: Despite operational constraints, NAFDAC consistently surpassed revenue targets, generating ₦18.73 billion in 2023, ₦29.8 billion in 2024, and ₦39.6 billion in 2025.
Responding to the presentation, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa, commended NAFDAC for its strong financial performance and directed the agency to submit copies of the presidential approval to the committee. Senator Musa assured that the Senate would liaise with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Fiscal Responsibility Commission to ensure all funds due to NAFDAC are fully restored.
In a related development during the session, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) urged NAFDAC to lead initiatives aimed at commercializing Nigeria’s rich flora. She advocated for refining local plants such as moringa, neem (dongoyaro), and bitter leaf into standardized capsules, syrups, and tablets to reduce reliance on imported pharmaceuticals and boost the national economy.
Welcoming the proposal, Prof. Adeyeye affirmed Nigeria’s vast herbal potential while emphasizing the need for targeted investment in scientific research, clinical trials, and laboratory infrastructure to meet international safety standards.
