Nigeria can adopt QR codes to tackle counterfeit products

In December 2024, Nigeria’s food and drugs regulatory agency shut down 150 shops in Aba, south-east Nigeria, and destroyed counterfeit products reportedly worth N5 billion. Most goods destroyed during the operation were beverages and expensive alcoholic drinks.

However, concerns remain about many counterfeit products that may have passed through regulatory authorities undetected.

Less than three months after the Aba raid, NAFDAC destroyed about N4.5 billion worth of fake products seized from marketers in Port Harcourt. The series of raids highlight Nigeria’s ongoing struggle with counterfeit goods.

The situation has become so severe that NAFDAC had to shut down an entire segment of a popular market in Onitsha, Anambra State, after discovering that syndicates were concealing drugs inside plumbing materials.

However, the decision to shut down markets has become highly political. A major opposition leader, Peter Obi, criticised NAFDAC for closing markets in its fight against counterfeit drugs.

Nigeria’s battle with counterfeit drinks, medicines, and food has been ongoing for decades. In 1993, the country’s government established the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to tackle the menace of fake drugs. Over the years, the agency has introduced several innovative measures to combat the problem—from the NAFDAC registration number to using special SMS codes to verify product authenticity.

Recently, NAFDAC spent $2.4 million to procure hand-held devices for on-the-spot detection of counterfeit medicines.

However, many of these innovations and measures have failed to stem the flow of fake products into markets and shelves. Often, counterfeit syndicates create sophisticated systems, including printing fake labels and brands. NAFDAC numbers are easily removed from packs and replaced.

The situation has become so alarming that federal legislators have called for stiffer punishments, such as life imprisonment, to deter counterfeiters. A few weeks ago, the House of Representatives called for life imprisonment for peddlers of fake drugs.

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However, experts believe more investment is needed in preventive measures that help regulators and consumers verify products easily.

Ghana’s success with QR Codes: A Model for Nigeria?

Ghana’s success in implementing a universal Quick Response (QR) code system presents an opportunity for Nigeria to address its counterfeit problem. Ghana is leading other African countries in adopting QR codes and using the technology for voter verification, payment systems, VAT management, and more.

A QR code is a two-dimensional barcode that stores information, which can be scanned using a smartphone. When scanned, the user is directed to a page containing digitally stored information.

Across Ghana, it is common to see a bottle of water with a QR code. A quick scan using a smartphone takes the consumer to the Ghana Revenue Authority’s website to verify the product’s VAT status.

Similarly, a voter does not need to carry a voter’s card to the polling unit. The voter register contains QR codes that can be scanned using the Biometric Verification Device, which then displays the voter’s details for biometric authentication before voting.

In 2020, Ghana’s former Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia, launched Ghana’s Universal QR Code Scheme (GhQR) for digital payments. The system allows consumers to pay merchants by scanning a QR code displayed at the shop. The merchant receives the payment instantly, just as if it were cash.

GhQR is interoperable, meaning that a single QR code displayed in a shop allows a merchant to receive payments from customers with bank accounts, mobile wallets, or card accounts from different banks and payment service providers across the country.

Can Nigeria adopt QR Codes to fight counterfeits?

Experts argue that Nigeria has sufficient internet penetration and high smartphone usage to adopt QR codes to combat counterfeit products.

According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), as of January 2024, Nigeria had 154.9 million active internet subscribers, representing over half of the total population. In addition, smartphone penetration is projected to exceed 140 million devices by 2025, accounting for 66 per cent of the population.

Francis Adegbe, a software engineer, believes NAFDAC and other regulatory bodies must explore multiple technologies to prevent counterfeits by building a national product database.

He noted that QR code technology is a cost-effective solution to the problem. He explained that all the Nigerian government needs to do is create a national database for all verified products, allowing consumers to scan a QR code for instant verification.

“It will require a database to store all verified products. Once you scan the QR code, it displays the correct information, confirming whether the product is genuine and providing other relevant details.”

“Writing the code is the easiest part—it’s about designing the logic behind the system. Setting up the database isn’t difficult either. The government could use an Amazon S3 pocket database to store product information. The data doesn’t even need to be in one place; it can be distributed across the cloud but pulled into a central platform for real-time verification,” he explained.

Can criminals circumvent QR Code technology?

When asked whether criminals could manipulate the system, Mr Adegbe noted that it would not be easy. According to him, the key security measure is to use a government-approved domain that counterfeiters cannot replicate.

“The government must establish a strict .gov.ng domain name, which counterfeiters cannot access. That would serve as the first security check.”

Mr Adegbe added that public sensitisation about the official domain would empower citizens to identify fake or expired products.

“We need to use a secure, government-approved domain (.gov.ng). Counterfeiters won’t be able to obtain it. That will be the first level of security. We can educate the public that any verification process not linked to this domain is counterfeit.”

“Although QR codes can be copied, there are security details that counterfeiters cannot replicate. The real challenge is securing the official domain name. Public awareness must focus on this. Any QR code that does not direct consumers to the official domain is fake,” he said.

When asked about potential challenges with the technology, Mr Adegbe said the most significant obstacle is political will among regulators.

“The main challenge is the political will to implement the solution. We once proposed a similar system for a government agency, but the person delaying the project was benefiting from the very problem we were trying to solve. Bureaucrats often have vested interests in maintaining the status quo,” he said.

NAFDAC’s current use of technology

Christiana Obiazikwor, the spokesperson for NAFDAC, told PREMIUM TIMES that the agency is integrating technology into its fight against counterfeit products.

She cited using TruScan, a handheld device for on-the-spot drug testing. She described the technology as expensive but efficient.

“We have TruScan. It is a handheld device used to test drugs on the spot. If the drug is genuine, you get the result immediately. It is a very expensive device. When you walk into a pharmacy, you can test a drug right there,” she said during a phone interview in February.

However, the TruScan device is limited to drug testing and cannot be used for other products like drinks and food, despite NAFDAC’s mandate extending beyond pharmaceuticals. This limitation raises concerns about interoperability—the ability of different systems to exchange, interpret, and use data seamlessly.

Additionally, TruScan does not empower the public to participate in the fight against counterfeits, as only NAFDAC officials with the device can conduct tests.

NAFDAC also has a text message verification system where drugs have scratch codes pasted on their packs. Users can scratch the codes after buying the product and text the numbers via SMS to confirm if the drug is authentic. However, many Nigerians do not use the confirmation codes, the food regulator said.

Many people believe that the text message verification system and TruScan are insufficient.

READ ALSO: NAFDAC destroys fake drugs worth N100trn

Kayode Onifade, a resident of Abuja, noted that the text message verification method is inconvenient, leading to low adoption.

“One reason the text message option isn’t effective is that you have to buy the product before scratching to verify it. Imagine if you could just scan the product on the shelf before purchasing,” Mr Onifade said.

For now, NAFDAC seems to rely more on physical inspections and market shutdowns, highlighting the underdevelopment of digital public infrastructure in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.

This report is produced under the DPI Africa Journalism Fellowship Programme of the Media Foundation for West Africa and Co-Develop.