The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, has reacted with laughter after a journalist asked her about calls for her resignation over the circulation of fake and substandard products in Nigeria.
The incident occurred during an engagement with journalists in Lagos on Monday, September 7, 2026, where Adeyeye was questioned about growing criticism of the agency's handling of counterfeit and unsafe products.
According to reports from the briefing, the journalist told the NAFDAC boss that some Nigerians were calling for her to step down over the continued presence of fake products in the country.
Adeyeye burst into laughter before defending her record at the agency and questioning the basis for the calls for her removal.
She reportedly pointed to her decision to return to Nigeria after decades in the United States, saying she came back because she wanted to serve the country and contribute to improving NAFDAC.
“I came here to serve,” Adeyeye said, according to reports of the briefing. She also challenged anyone alleging that she demanded money from contractors to provide evidence.
The exchange comes amid renewed public concern over counterfeit and substandard medicines, food products and other regulated items circulating in Nigeria. NAFDAC has maintained that it has intensified enforcement operations against manufacturers, distributors and sellers of fake products.
Adeyeye also highlighted what she described as improvements recorded under her leadership. Reports from the briefing said she recalled inheriting about ₦3.2 billion in liabilities when she became Director-General in 2017, alongside challenges involving NAFDAC's laboratories and information technology infrastructure.
NAFDAC has also reported major seizures and destruction of counterfeit and substandard products in recent years, with the agency saying the value of products destroyed or seized since 2023 exceeded ₦1.5 trillion.
The laughter and her response, however, have generated debate online, with critics arguing that the question deserved a more direct response given the seriousness of counterfeit products and their potential consequences for public health.
Adeyeye, who has headed NAFDAC since 2017, has rejected calls for her resignation and continued to defend the agency's performance.
The controversy is likely to keep attention focused on NAFDAC's enforcement record and the government's broader responsibility to prevent counterfeit and unsafe products from reaching Nigerian consumers.
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