List Of NAFDAC Director General To Date
NAFDAC, short for National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, is Nigeria’s regulatory body for food, drugs, medical devices, and chemicals.
Established in 1993, NAFDAC aims to protect public health by ensuring the quality and safety of these products. Key functions include:
- Product registration and approval
- Quality control testing
- Monitoring of manufacturing processes
- Enforcement of regulations
- Consumer education
NAFDAC issues certifications for compliant products and conducts regular inspections. The agency fights counterfeit and substandard goods, a challenge in the Nigerian market.
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List Of NAFDAC Director General To Date
| No | Name | Term In The Office | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professor Gabriel Ediale Osuide | 1994 - 2000 | First Director-General |
| 2 | Dr. Dora Nkem Akunyili | 2001 - 2008 | Notable for health initiatives |
| 3 | Dr. Paul Baba Orhii | 2009 - 2016 | Focused on regulatory reforms |
| 4 | Mrs. Yetunde Oni | 2016 - 2017 | Served as Acting Director-General |
| 5 | Mr. Ademola Andrew Magbojuri | 2017 (briefly) | Brief tenure |
| 6 | Professor Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye | 2017 - Present | Current Director-General |
Who Was The First Director-General Of NAFDAC?
The first Director-General of NAFDAC was Professor Gabriel Osuide. Professor Gabriel Osuide was a Nigerian pharmacist and academic who became the first person to lead NAFDAC when it was set up in 1993.
He was born in the early 1930s in Nigeria. Osuide studied pharmacy and got his first degree from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in Nigeria.
He then went abroad to further his studies, getting a master’s degree and a PhD in pharmacology from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland.
When he came back to Nigeria, Osuide started teaching at the University of Benin. He moved up the ranks and became a professor. He was known for his work in pharmacology, which is the study of how drugs work in the body.
In 1993, when the Nigerian government decided to create NAFDAC, they picked Osuide to be its first leader. This was a big job because NAFDAC was set up to ensure that Nigeria’s food and drugs were safe and good quality.
As the first Director-General, Osuide had to start everything from scratch. He had to set up how NAFDAC would work, hire staff, and begin the tough job of checking food and drugs in Nigeria.
This wasn’t easy because there were a lot of fake and bad-quality products in the market at that time. Osuide only led NAFDAC for about a year, from 1993 to 1994.
Even though his time there was short, he laid the groundwork for how NAFDAC would work in the future. After leaving NAFDAC, Osuide went back to teaching and research.
He wrote many papers about pharmacy and drug safety that other experts in the field read and used. Throughout his career, Osuide was respected for his knowledge about drugs and how they work.
Who Is The New Director-General Of NAFDAC?
The new Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye. She has been in this role since November 3, 2017, following her appointment by the President of Nigeria.
As a Nigerian pharmacist and professor, she has had a long and impressive career in both academia and pharmaceutical research.
Adeyeye worked for several years in the United States. She was a professor at Roosevelt University in Illinois, where she focused on pharmaceutics and drug manufacturing science.
Additionally, she spent over two decades teaching at Duquesne University in Pennsylvania and contributed to pharmaceutical education and research. Adeyeye is also a recognized expert in drug development, having worked on anti-retroviral drugs to treat HIV/AIDS.
In fact, she holds several patents related to her research on drug formulations and delivery systems. As NAFDAC’s Director-General, her role involves overseeing the regulation and control of food, drugs, and other products to ensure they are safe for use by the public.
She has been instrumental in pushing for reforms that improve drug regulation and compliance within the pharmaceutical industry.
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Who Was The First Female NAFDAC Chairman?
The first female NAFDAC chairman was Prof. Dora Nkem Akunyili. Dora Nkem Akunyili was born on July 14, 1954, in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. She studies Pharmacy at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
After finishing her studies, Akunyili worked as a hospital pharmacist and later as a university teacher. She was known for her dedication to her work and her strong belief in doing things the right way.
In 2001, Akunyili’s life took a big turn when she was picked to lead NAFDAC. At that time, fake drugs were a big problem in Nigeria, causing many deaths and health issues. Akunyili took on this challenge with great energy and courage.
As NAFDAC boss, Akunyili fought hard against fake drugs. She made sure that drug makers followed the rules and that only safe drugs were sold in Nigeria. She also taught people about the dangers of fake drugs.
She even faced threats from those who were making money from fake drugs. Akunyili’s work at NAFDAC made big changes in Nigeria’s health sector. After leaving NAFDAC in 2008, Akunyili continued to serve Nigeria.
She became the Minister of Information and Communications. In this role, she improves Nigeria’s image both at home and abroad.
Akunyili won many awards for her work, including the Pharmacist of the Year award and the Time Magazine Award for Heroes of Our Time. Sadly, Dora Akunyili passed away on June 7, 2014, after battling cancer.
