Nigeria’s drug regulator has issued a public alert warning against an unregistered product being marketed online as a cure for HIV.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) issued Public Alert No. 020/2026 after receiving a complaint at its Bauchi State office concerning the circulation of unregistered ViroActive+ Capsules. According to the agency, the product is being promoted online in Nigeria as a herbal supplement claimed to boost the immune system and treat or cure viral infections, particularly HIV, along with general health benefits.
NAFDAC was direct in its rebuttal, stating that the product is falsely promoted as an herbal cure for HIV and other viral infections, despite the absence of scientific evidence to support such claims. The agency stressed that HIV should only be treated with medically prescribed antiretroviral therapy, and urged the public to report any suspected sale of unregistered or falsified medicines to the nearest NAFDAC office, either through its hotline (0800-162-3322) or by email at alert@nafdac.gov.ng.
TheDiggerNews.com notes that fake HIV “cures” carry a distinct danger beyond the usual risks of counterfeit or unregistered medicine: patients who believe they have found a cure may reduce or abandon legitimate antiretroviral therapy, the only treatment shown to control HIV and prevent transmission.
According to estimates from UNAIDS and Nigeria’s National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), roughly 1.9 million people are living with HIV in Nigeria, placing the country among those with the largest HIV-positive populations in the world. Unverified online “cure” claims of this kind are not unique to ViroActive+, underscoring the reach of unregulated health products marketed through social media and informal online channels.
NAFDAC’s alert does not name a manufacturer, distributor, or specific online seller of ViroActive+, nor does it indicate whether any enforcement action beyond the public warning has been taken.
It is one of dozens of recall and safety notices the agency has issued so far in 2026, covering products ranging from counterfeit toothpaste to substandard antibiotics.
TheDiggerNews.com is seeking further clarifications from NAFDAC on the scale of ViroActive+’s distribution and whether any suspects or sellers have been identified. This is a developing story.
