Quality Assessment and Labelling Compliance of Herbal Products Sold in Supermarkets in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory

The increasing availability of commercially packaged herbal products in supermarkets and health food stores in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, reflects growing middle-class demand for dietary supplements and herbal remedies in Nigeria's urban centres. Unlike open-market herbal traders, supermarket-based herbal products are expected to meet formal labelling and quality standards. This study assesses the quality parameters and labelling compliance of herbal products sold in ten registered supermarkets in Garki and Wuse districts of Abuja. Sixty-four unique herbal products were purchased and assessed against NAFDAC labelling requirements covering product name, registration number, ingredient list, dosage information, contraindications, expiry date, and manufacturer details. Physicochemical quality tests including moisture content, total ash, and microbial enumeration were conducted on 25 selected products. Forty-seven percent of sampled products carried valid NAFDAC registration numbers verifiable on the NAFDAC e-portal. Labelling deficiencies were detected in 61% of products, with missing dosage information and absence of contraindications being the most common shortcomings. Three products failed microbial count limits under standard evaluation. Foreign-manufactured products generally showed higher labelling compliance than domestically produced items. These findings indicate that supermarket distribution does not guarantee herbal product quality or regulatory compliance in Abuja, and recommend enhanced post-market surveillance by NAFDAC targeting formal retail outlets. Keywords: labelling compliance, herbal products, NAFDAC, Abuja, quality assessment