Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mojisola Adeyeye, has criticised what she described as an aversion to public service among some Nigerians.

Adeyeye spoke on Monday at a press conference in Lagos, while responding to a question on whether she would resign amid calls for her removal over the circulation of counterfeit products in the country.

The NAFDAC boss, who spent 30 years teaching in the United States before retiring, said she returned to Nigeria because she wanted to serve the country.

“I lived in the U.S. for 37 years. I was a professor for 30 years in an all-white school. I retired happily. I came here to serve,” a visibly angry Adeyeye said.

“But Nigerians have aversion for service. Some Nigerians have aversion for service. It is for ‘what can I get from the country?’

“We have rendered Nigeria useless because of ‘what can I get?’ We have rendered Nigeria useless because of ‘what is it in it for my pocket?”

Adeyeye said 2022, the final year of her first term, was particularly challenging, alleging that some staff members were instigated to embark on a strike in an attempt to undermine the agency.

She further alleged that individuals seeking to succeed her as NAFDAC director-general were working behind the scenes to fuel the unrest.

“It was a horrible year because people instigated, even our own staff, to start to go on strike from June of 2022 to November to paint the kettle black. The kettle has remained white,” she said.

“Because some people wanted to become DG of NAFDAC, they are instigating a lot behind the scenes.”

Adeyeye Highlights NAFDAC Reforms

Adeyeye said her tenure had focused on transforming NAFDAC despite inheriting significant financial and operational challenges.

She said the agency was at “minus maturity level one out of four” when she assumed office, below the four levels under the World Health Organisation’s regulatory assessment framework.

According to her, NAFDAC inherited about N3.2 billion in debt, including N1.6 billion in unpaid taxes, about N700 million owed to staff who travelled for GNP, and approximately N400 million owed to contractors.

The NAFDAC DG said the agency had paid about N3.1 billion of the outstanding debts by November 2018, after which she stopped further travels until the obligations were addressed.

She also disclosed that between 70 and 80 per cent of NAFDAC’s laboratory equipment was not functioning when she assumed office.

Adeyeye said the agency subsequently improved its regulatory standing, attaining maturity level three in March 2022, which she described as the third such achievement in Africa.

She cited NAFDAC’s affiliate membership of the International Medical Device Regulators Forum in 2023 and its membership of the International Council for Harmonisation in 2025 as further evidence of the agency’s progress.

The NAFDAC boss said she spent her first two years rebuilding the agency’s public image, recalling that the organisation had previously been described as a “good-for-nothing agency”.

She said her approach to public service differed from that of individuals who regarded government positions as opportunities for personal gain.

“I came here to serve. A contractor that I’ve demanded money from should come here and tell me.”