A valid QR code can still be copied. Use package serial numbers where justified, controlled label issuance, tamper evidence and checks against authorised production quantities. Repeated scans in distant locations should trigger investigation—not an automatic accusation. Consumers should be able to check through an official website or SMS service. Show the manufacturer, product, batch, expiry and release or recall status. A successful scan confirms a database record. It must not be presented as proof that copied packaging is genuine. Bring wholesalers and distributors into the system. Require traceable supplier invoices and batch records, with custody tracking proportionate to risk. An illegal producer may avoid registration entirely. Distribution checks and surprise market sampling help reach that hidden supply. Audit the laboratories too. Use blind proficiency samples, independent retesting, equipment records and conflict-of-interest controls. Investigate suspicious approval patterns. If producers and laboratories collude, a digital portal could otherwise turn false results into convincing paperwork.

What does Iwajowa contribute to Nigeria’s economy? We examined its farming, mineral resources and public finances. One finding: federal schedules list ₦5.376bn in net FAAC allocations for January–August 2026. But the bigger story is what Iwajowa can build