How to Get NAFDAC Approval for Your Products

What is NAFDAC?

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is the body responsible for regulating and granting permits for the exportation, importation and manufacture of products.

NAFDAC also regulates and controls quality standards for food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals, detergents and packaged water whether imported or manufactured locally. Thus, if your business operates to provide any of the following products, you have to obtain approval from NAFDAC to operate legally in Nigeria.

Obtaining NAFDAC approval in Nigeria is a critical step for businesses that intend to manufacture, import, distribute, or sell regulated products such as food, beverages, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. NAFDAC product registration helps ensure that products meet required safety, quality, and labeling standards before they are introduced into the Nigerian market.

For entrepreneurs and manufacturers, understanding how to get NAFDAC approval can help prevent regulatory delays, product seizures, and reputational risks. This guide explains the NAFDAC registration process in simple and practical steps.

Documents & Information Required for Obtaining a NAFDAC Certificate

The documents required depends on the category of the product to be registered- whether it falls under food, drug, or cosmetics. However, the general requirement includes the following:

• Application letter for production on the company’s letterhead
• Payment receipt issued by NAFDAC
• Certificate of Incorporation of the business with CAC
• Evidence of Trademark registration of the brand name in the relevant class
• Coloured artwork or label of the product with appropriate storage conditions indicated
• Pack of product samples for quality analysis inspection
• Brand name and Batch number of the product
• Appropriately filed online NAFDAC Registration form
• Signed and endorsed certificate of Pharmaceutical Product (applicable to drugs only)
• Original Copy of Power of Attorney from the product manufacturer for imported goods

Please note that the complete list of required documents varies depending on the product category and regulatory requirements. We have compiled the comprehensive checklist for you here.

Procedure for Registering Your Product with NAFDAC

1. Register your Business, Gather your Documents, and Ensure Compliance Standards

Ensure your business is registered with CAC and you have also obtained your Trademark Acceptance Letter from the Trademarks registry. Also, ensure all other documents required such as coloured art work, proper labels are compiled and compliance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) requirements are met.

2. Submission of Application

Prepare an application letter accompanied with the required documents for registration. This is submitted through creating a portal on the NAFDAC Automated Product Administration and Monitoring System (NAPAMS) and paying the required fees and tariffs where applicable.

3. Document Verification

The documents submitted will be verified by NAFDAC and you will e duly informed to comply with any directive not met before proceeding to the next stage.

4. Facility Inspection by NAFDAC Officials

After thoroughly reviewing your application, a physical inspection of your facility will be conducted by NAFDAC where they assess cleanliness of the environment, water supply and waste disposal systems, quality control procedures amongst others.

Where the facility meets the regulatory standards, it is approved, otherwise you may be required to make corrections before approval is granted where deficiencies are identified.

5. Product Sampling / Laboratory Analysis

NAFDAC may request for products to be inspected to conduct a laboratory testing on submitted product samples to confirm compliance with quality and safety standards.

6. Final Approval

Where the product passes all required checks, it is approved and assigned a NAFDAC Registration number which must appear on the product label. A certificate of Registration -which is valid for five years and subject to renewal- is issued.

Timelines

• Registration of a regulated product and major variations: Completed within 90 working days for Food product and 240 working days for Drugfrom the acceptance of the application.
• Minor variations of product registration: Processed within 60 Days for Food product and 168 working days for Drug product.

Importance of Registering your Product with NAFDAC

• Obtaining NAFDAC approval helps to:
• Build consumer confidence in your product
• Prevent regulatory sanctions or product seizures
• Enable wider market distribution
• Enhance brand credibility
• Support business growth and investor trust

Securing NAFDAC approval may seem technical, but it is a necessary step in protecting public health and establishing your product’s legitimacy in the market.

With proper preparation, professional guidance, and compliance with regulatory requirements, the process can be completed smoothly.

Team 618 Bees

We hope you find this information helpful. Feel free to reach out to us via our dedicated Call Centre lines; +2349017190079/08080819653 (WhatsApp available) or 01-2803791 or by email via hello@618bees.com. We look forward to assisting you with all of your business and compliance filings. Contact us today!

The information in this blog post (“post”) is provided for general informational purposes only, no information contained in this post should be construed as legal advice, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information included in, or accessible through this post without seeking the appropriate legal or professional advice from the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer. This post is protected by intellectual property law and regulations. It may however be shared using appropriate sharing tools provided that our authorship is always acknowledged and this Disclaimer Notice attached