I returned to Nigeria to serve, not to make money, NAFDAC DG

The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Moji Adeyeye, has said she came back to Nigeria to serve the country and improve the agency's reputation, not to enrich herself.

Mrs Adeyeye, a pharmacist and professor, made this statement on Monday while answering a journalist’s question about when she would step down from her position.

The question made her laugh at first, but she used the moment to talk about her nine years in office, the challenges she faced, and the changes she has made at NAFDAC.

In a video of the encounter that has gone viral, Mrs Adeyeye became emotional as she shared the financial and operational problems she dealt with when she started her role.

“When I got to NAFDAC, NAFDAC had maturity level one out of four. We had N3.2 billion in debt that I inherited,” she said.

She explained that about N1.6 billion of that debt was tax-related, while N700 million was owed to staff who went for Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) inspections.

She added that NAFDAC also owed contractors and mentioned that 70 to 80 percent of its equipment was not working when she took over.

“Seventy to 80 percent of our equipment was not working. In the laboratory, companies were sending vehicles for us to come and inspect them,” she said.

Mrs Adeyeye said her focus was on paying off the agency’s debts and improving its regulatory ability.

“We paid N3.1 billion by November 2018,” she said.

From maturity level one to three

The NAFDAC head mentioned that the agency’s regulatory status improved greatly during her time.

She noted that NAFDAC reached maturity level three in March 2022, making it the third agency in Africa to achieve that.

She added that the agency later became an affiliate member of the International Medical Device Regulators Forum and is set to join the International Council for Harmonisation in 2025.

“Countries now respect us. Regulatory agencies respect us,” she said.

Mrs Adeyeye also talked about the bad reputation NAFDAC had when she began, saying some people called it a “good-for-nothing agency.”

She said her team worked hard to change that view by strengthening regulatory systems and boosting the agency's international image.

Her tenure

The question about Mrs Adeyeye’s resignation comes as more people want to know when her time as NAFDAC DG will end.

Section 9(3) of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control Act states that the Director-General serves for five years and can be reappointed for another five years.

Mrs Adeyeye was first appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari on 3 November 2017 for a five-year term.

In December 2022, Mr Buhari reappointed her for another five years.

Her current term is expected to end in 2027, following the rules of her appointment.

The law allows a Director-General to serve a maximum of two five-year terms.

‘I came here to serve’

Mrs Adeyeye said her choice to come back to Nigeria was based on her wish to help the country after living abroad for many years.

“I lived in the U.S. for 37 years. I was a professor for 30 years in an all-white school. I retired happily,” she said.

“I came here to serve, but some Nigerians have an aversion to service. It is always, ‘What can I get from the country?’”

She criticized the attitude of seeking personal gain, saying it has added to Nigeria’s problems.

“We have rendered Nigeria useless because of ‘What can I get?’ We have rendered Nigeria useless because of ‘What is in it for my pockets?’” she said.

Mrs Adeyeye also challenged anyone who accused her of asking for money from contractors during her time to come forward.

“Any contractor that I have demanded money from should come here and tell me,” she said.

“I came here for service. I retired happily. I was ashamed of my country. I was ashamed of my country. I came to remove some of the shame, and the world is seeing it.”

She noted that NAFDAC’s achievements have changed how the agency is viewed internationally.

“The world is seeing it,” she said.

When asked about her resignation, Mrs Adeyeye said her record in office should answer that question.

“So, that question, ‘When are you going to resign?’, I hope you got the answer,” she said.