NAFDAC Clarifies Zobo Registration Rules After Delta Police Confrontation

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has clarified its registration requirements for Zobo drinks following a viral video showing police officers questioning a hawker in Delta State over the absence of a NAFDAC registration number.

In the video circulating on Facebook, an officer was heard asking whether the drink had a NAFDAC number, insisting that the police had the right to question the seller.

A man who identified himself as a content creator challenged the officers, describing the beverage as ordinary Zobo. The exchange attracted the attention of onlookers.

Delta State Police spokesperson, Bright Edafe, defended the officers, saying they were carrying out their duties by questioning the product’s regulatory status.

However, NAFDAC spokesperson Christiana Obiazikwor explained that Zobo sold in ordinary containers without packaging, sealing or labelling does not fall under the agency’s regulatory purview.

She said the drink becomes subject to NAFDAC regulation when it is packaged, sealed and labelled for sale.

Obiazikwor added that products presented in labelled packaging are expected to meet the agency’s applicable requirements, including registration where required.

A photograph of the drink shared online reportedly showed it in a labelled bottle, raising questions about whether the specific product met the criteria for regulation.

The clarification highlights the importance of packaging and labelling in determining whether a Zobo product falls under NAFDAC’s regulatory requirements.