The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a public alert about the illicit sale and distribution of Foula Condoms, an unregistered condom brand, in Nigeria.
The agency stated that the condom is not registered for use in Nigeria, and the product’s labelling is not in English.
The condoms were discovered in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, and Zango, Katsina State, during a Risk-Based Post-Marketing Surveillance research on registered condoms in Nigeria.
On Thursday, October 31, the agency issued a statement on its official website.
The statement partly reads: “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is alerting the public to the illegal sale and distribution of an unregistered brand of condoms in Nigeria: Foula Condoms.
“Officials from the Post-Marketing Surveillance (PMS) directorate discovered Foula condoms (packaged in threes) in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, and Zango, Katsina State, during a Risk-Based Post Marketing Surveillance study on registered condoms in Nigeria.
“This product is not registered with NAFDAC for use in Nigeria, and its labelling is not in English.
“Condoms are an effective barrier method that can serve as a dual-purpose solution for both preventing unintended pregnancy and protecting against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). To be most effective, any barrier method used for contraception or infection prevention must be employed correctly.
“The illegal distribution or sale of unregistered condoms poses significant risks, as the safety, quality, and efficacy of these products cannot be guaranteed. Purchasing and using low-quality condoms will undermine all efforts to promote their use for preventing unintended pregnancies and protecting against HIV and other STIs. If condoms leak or break, they cannot provide adequate protection.”