The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to conduct random laboratory tests on medicines, food, drinks and packaged water sold on and around university campuses.

The association made the appeal in an open letter to NAFDAC’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, signed by its Director of Health, Augustine Onovughegor, on Friday.

NANS said reports from campus health centres, teaching hospitals and student communities had raised concerns about the safety of products consumed by young Nigerians.

It identified kidney and liver complications, seizure disorders, gastrointestinal infections, foodborne illnesses and suspected chemical poisoning among health problems reportedly affecting young people. The association suggested that some cases could be linked to substandard or falsified medicines, contaminated food, unregulated additives and toxic substances.

However, the letter did not provide specific case data establishing a direct link between the reported health conditions and the products in question.

The students’ body called for increased surveillance of shops and markets around universities and student residential areas, alongside risk-based inspections and random product testing.

It urged the regulator to issue public warnings, recall unsafe products and prosecute manufacturers or distributors found to have supplied substandard or falsified goods.

NANS also criticised what it described as an inadequate visible response to the concerns, arguing that resource constraints should not prevent urgent action where public health could be at risk.

The association proposed closer cooperation between NAFDAC, its health directorate and campus clinics to improve the reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions and foodborne illnesses.

Other recommendations included establishing a publicly accessible database of registered products, improving batch-verification systems and developing consumer education materials to help students identify counterfeit medicines and potentially unsafe food products.

NANS said sustained awareness campaigns on campuses were necessary to ensure students could make informed decisions about the products they purchased and consumed.

The association stressed that protecting students required coordinated action by regulatory agencies, health institutions, university authorities and other stakeholders.

NAFDAC’s laboratory services directorate is responsible for testing regulated products to determine their quality, safety and compliance with approved standards.

The call adds to broader concerns about the availability of substandard medicines and unsafe consumer products, particularly in areas with large student populations and high demand for affordable food and healthcare products.