Millions of high-strength opioid tablets produced in India are reportedly worsening a dangerous drug epidemic across West Africa, according to an investigation by AFP. The report revealed that powerful tapentadol pills — often sold cheaply in roadside kiosks and unregulated pharmacies — are now contributing to addiction crises in countries such as Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Liberia.
Health Officials Raise Alarm
Health officials and researchers told AFP that the drug is increasingly being mixed into “kush,” a dangerous synthetic substance commonly referred to as a “zombie drug” because of its devastating effects on users. Authorities in Sierra Leone described the situation as alarming, with hundreds of bodies reportedly recovered from streets, markets, and slums in the capital, Freetown, within a three-month period.
Manufacturing and Export Concerns
According to the investigation, many of the tapentadol tablets entering West Africa are manufactured in India and exported in strengths not approved in several importing countries. Some shipments were allegedly labelled as “Harmless Medicines for Human Consumption.” AFP reported that despite India’s 2025 pledge to crack down on illegal opioid exports, customs and shipment records still showed millions of dollars worth of tapentadol products being shipped monthly into parts of West Africa.
Pharmaceutical Companies Linked
The report identified several Indian pharmaceutical companies allegedly linked to the exports, including Gujarat Pharmaceuticals, Merit Organics, McW Healthcare, PRG Pharma and Syncom Formulations. In Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) reportedly stated that tapentadol products are neither approved nor registered in the country, warning that any such products found locally are illegal.
Seizures and Abuse by Criminal Groups
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) also disclosed that billions of opioid pills had been seized in recent years, with officials warning that criminal groups and terrorists were increasingly abusing such substances. Experts cited in the report said many labourers and commercial riders across West Africa rely on the drugs to endure long hours of physically demanding work, while others use them to suppress hunger due to poverty.
Growing Public Health Emergency
Researchers warned that tapentadol is significantly stronger than tramadol and is increasingly replacing it in illicit drug markets across the region. Mental health officials in Sierra Leone also raised concerns over increasing use of the drug among schoolchildren and university students, describing the trend as a growing public health emergency. The AFP investigation further alleged that weak regulation, poor enforcement, and gaps in international pharmaceutical oversight have allowed the opioid trade to expand rapidly across vulnerable African markets.
