- NAFDAC launches Greenbook app to help Nigerians verify drug authenticity and combat counterfeit medicines
- The country is the first in Africa and second in the world to implement this advanced drug verification system
- The Greenbook app is available for download on the Google Play Store and the Apple Store
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has introduced a new mobile application, the Greenbook, to help Nigerians verify the authenticity of drugs and combat the circulation of counterfeit medical products.
Speaking at the launch during a two-day sensitisation and awareness workshop in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, NAFDAC Director-General Professor Mojisola Adeyeye urged Nigerians to leverage the app in the fight against fake and substandard medicines.
Adeyeye, represented by Fraden Bitrus, Director of the Post-Marketing Surveillance Directorate, emphasised that the Greenbook serves as a comprehensive database of registered drug products in Nigeria.
How the Greenbook app works
Adeyeye explained that the Greenbook provides an easy-to-use platform where consumers can verify a product's authenticity by searching for its name, brand, or NAFDAC registration number.
If a product appears in the database, it confirms that it has been registered and approved by the agency.
"Counterfeiters are constantly evolving, using more sophisticated techniques to distribute fake drugs. To counter this, NAFDAC is embracing technology and modern methods," she stated.
She also highlighted that Nigeria is the first country in Africa and the second globally to adopt this advanced drug verification system.
Support from healthcare stakeholders
The Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Adaeze Oreh, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to working with NAFDAC to eradicate counterfeit drugs.
Represented by Quanta Dappa, the state’s Focal Person for Pharmacovigilance and Drug Abuse Control, she praised NAFDAC’s proactive steps in ensuring drug safety.
“We commend the efforts of the NAFDAC DG and her team in tackling the menace of fake drugs. As a state, we have a dedicated task force focused on eliminating counterfeit medical products, and NAFDAC is a vital partner in this fight,” she said.
Similarly, the NAFDAC Director for the South-South Zone, Oligbu Chukwuma, reassured Nigerians that strict measures were in place to curb the distribution of counterfeit drugs across the region.
He noted that state coordinators are required to submit monthly reports detailing their enforcement activities.
“The Greenbook app is a game-changer in the fight against fake drugs. It provides consumers with a simple way to check if a product is genuine,” he added.
How to access the Greenbook app
The Greenbook app is available for download on the Google Play Store and Apple Store or via the official website: greenbook.nafdac.gov.ng.
With this initiative, NAFDAC aims to enhance drug safety and protect Nigerians from the dangers of counterfeit medicines.
NAFDAC bans multi-dose Artemether/Lumefantrine suspension
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) announced an immediate ban on the registration, renewal, and variation of Multi-Dose Artemether/Lumefantrine dry powder for oral suspension in Nigeria.
The agency warned that the instability could lead to treatment delays and severe health risks, including worsening malaria symptoms.