Fake medicines are a real danger in Nigerian markets. These five checks take less than a minute.
Check 1 — The NAFDAC number
Every legally sold medicine in Nigeria carries a NAFDAC registration number printed on the pack. No number, no purchase. For De Trans products: A4-101551 (antimalarials) and A4-101640 (azithromycin).
Check 2 — The scratch panel
Genuine De Trans packs carry a silver scratch panel with a unique code. Scratch it, then verify the code on this website or by SMS. A code that’s already been used, or doesn’t verify, is a red flag.
Check 3 — The packaging quality
Look for clean printing, correct spelling, intact seals, and a readable batch number and expiry date. Blurry text, spelling mistakes, or a pack that looks ‘re-glued’ should walk you straight out of the shop.
Check 4 — Where you buy
Buy from licensed pharmacies and patent medicine stores, not from hawkers in traffic or unlabelled market stalls. Heat and poor storage degrade real medicines too — a genuine pack stored badly can fail.
Check 5 — The price
If the price is far below every other seller, ask why. Counterfeiters win on price. Quality medicines have a fair, consistent market price.