NAFDAC Registration in Nigeria: A Guide for Foreign Manufacturers

Who this guide is for

This guide is for manufacturers and brand owners located outside Nigeria who are considering bringing a regulated product, such as a food, cosmetic, supplement or medical device, to the Nigerian market.

Why registration comes first

Regulated products generally must be registered with NAFDAC before they are manufactured, imported, advertised, sold or distributed in Nigeria. Planning the registration early helps align product, label and commercial timelines.

What the requirements depend on

There is no single checklist for every product. Requirements depend on:

• the product category and regulatory classification;
• where the product is manufactured;
• its formulation or composition;
• NAFDAC's current guidelines for that category.

Local representation

Foreign manufacturers usually act through a Nigerian company or representative that is authorised to apply and to hold the registration on the manufacturer's behalf, supported by a power of attorney.

Documentation

Applications commonly draw on manufacturer and manufacturing-site documentation, product information and specifications, label artwork and category-specific documents. Some documents may need to be notarised or legalised in the country of origin.

Labels and artwork

Label content should be consistent with the product information in the application. Reviewing artwork before submission can avoid later queries.

Queries and timing

NAFDAC may raise queries or compliance directives during the process. Timelines depend on the product, the completeness of documents and the regulator's processes, so we do not quote fixed timelines.

After registration

Registrations must be maintained. Renewals and changes to formulation, manufacturer or artwork may require further regulatory steps.