Outcry as Fake Products Flood Nigerian Markets, Raise Fresh Concerns Over Consumer Safety & Regulatory Enforcement

The proliferation of counterfeit and substandard products in Nigerian markets has sparked growing public concern, with consumers increasingly turning to social media to expose suspected fake food, drugs, cosmetics, beverages and other everyday products.

The development has renewed scrutiny of the country’s regulatory system, particularly the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, with Nigerians questioning how suspected counterfeit products continue to find their way into markets despite the agencies’ mandates to regulate products and protect consumers.

Although some of the claims circulating online have not been independently verified, the growing number of reports has heightened fears over consumer safety and intensified calls for stronger surveillance, enforcement and prosecution of those involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit goods.

In recent months, social media platforms including X, TikTok and Instagram have been awash with videos and photographs purportedly exposing fake products. The posts often feature side by side comparisons of genuine and suspected counterfeit products, market investigations and practical tips on how consumers can identify fakes.

Doctors, content creators, ordinary consumers and others have amplified the campaign, turning personal discoveries into widely shared public warnings.

One prominent case involved suspected fake Oral B toothpaste. In September, a Nigerian doctor, Somto Okonkwo, shared a video comparing genuine and suspected counterfeit Oral B toothpaste, highlighting differences in packaging, seals, texture, translucency and taste.

According to Okonkwo, some of the suspected fake products had seals that were absent on the original, while the paste appeared thicker and less translucent and had a different flavour. The video was subsequently amplified by United Kingdom based Nigerian physician, Dr Olufunmilayo Ogunsanya.

Okonkwo also said he visited between five and seven shops where he found suspected counterfeit Oral B toothpaste, with some sellers allegedly unaware that the products were fake.

He further claimed that while genuine toothpaste commonly contains safe glycerine, some counterfeit products could contain harmful substitutes, including diethylene glycol.

Concerns have also been raised over suspected counterfeit food products. Videos circulated online in early September allegedly showed Hollandia yoghurt being packaged under unhygienic conditions, prompting calls for greater regulatory oversight.

Other social media posts have featured comparisons of genuine and suspected fake yoghurt, with users pointing to differences in thickness, creaminess and packaging details, including barcodes.

On September 4, Ogunsanya also raised concerns over the appearance of two paracetamol tablets allegedly produced by the same company but showing visible differences in colour when placed side by side.

He warned that consumers might not notice such differences without comparing the products directly, while questioning the effectiveness of regulatory enforcement.

Across social media, users have also alleged the circulation of dyed palm oil, artificially coloured fruits, fake soy sauce and olive oil, substandard chicken and fish, fake bottled and sachet water, counterfeit beverages, medicines and other consumer goods.

Some users said the growing reports had made them increasingly cautious about purchasing everyday products, while others called for stronger surveillance at ports, warehouses, markets and online platforms.

An X user, Oluwole Olofintuyi, alleged that the scale of counterfeit products suggested possible weaknesses within the regulatory system.

He listed suspected fake milk, yoghurt, bread, palm oil, rice, medicines, toothpaste, baby formula, beverages, bottled and sachet water, vehicle parts and tyres among products allegedly being counterfeited.

Olofintuyi also alleged that some regulatory officials, distributors and importers could be complicit in the circulation of counterfeit goods, although such claims have not been independently established.

Similarly, another user, Chinedu Samuel, questioned NAFDAC’s effectiveness in curbing the proliferation of counterfeit products, while several others called for greater collaboration among NAFDAC, SON, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, the police and other relevant agencies.

NAFDAC’s seizures

Recent enforcement operations by NAFDAC have resulted in the seizure of counterfeit and unregistered pharmaceutical products, including antimalarial drugs, antibiotics, injections and contraceptives.

In February 2026, the agency reportedly seized more than 10 million doses of suspected fake malaria medicines and other pharmaceutical products at the Lagos Trade Fair Market.

NAFDAC also uncovered warehouses concealed inside an uncompleted building in Apapa, Lagos, where banned, fake and unregistered medicines worth more than N3bn were allegedly stored.

The products reportedly included prohibited injectable antimalarial drugs, antibiotics, sachet medicines and blister packs, alongside assorted perfumes, body oils and cooking oils.

In 2025, NAFDAC disclosed that about 30 per cent of medicines sold in open markets were fake or substandard.

In March 2025, the agency also seized and destroyed confiscated drugs valued at about N1tn, including banned Analgin and high dose Tramadol, following operations at major drug markets in Onitsha and Aba.

Counterfeits pose health risks — doctors

The Director of Medical Services at the Medical Centre of the Federal College of Education, Akoka, Lagos, Dr Rotimi Adesanya, warned that counterfeit drugs, food and beverages could contain harmful substances capable of damaging vital organs, particularly the liver and kidneys.

Adesanya attributed the widespread circulation of counterfeit products partly to economic hardship, saying many Nigerians were increasingly driven towards cheaper alternatives.

He urged NAFDAC to intensify routine surveillance, product testing and inspections of goods displayed on shop shelves.

According to him, counterfeit products can contain harmful chemicals that may contribute to serious health problems, while expired medicines may lose potency and fail to provide the intended therapeutic effect.

Adesanya also advised consumers to consider alternative brands where necessary and to purchase products from trusted sources.

A former Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Lagos State, Dr Saheed Babajide, attributed the proliferation of counterfeit medicines to weak enforcement by relevant government agencies.

Babajide said ineffective or substandard medicines could lead to prolonged illness and complications, particularly when patients fail to respond to treatment.

He noted that the problem could also increase pressure on the country’s already strained healthcare system and impose additional financial burdens on patients who may have to seek further treatment.

Babajide called for stronger enforcement and tougher penalties for individuals involved in the manufacture, importation and distribution of counterfeit medicines.

Calls to strengthen regulatory agencies

A Lagos based commentator, Segun Odunewu, called for an overhaul of NAFDAC, alleging that the agency had failed to adequately protect Nigerians from dangerous counterfeit products.

Odunewu argued that the growing prevalence of fake products showed the need for stronger accountability and more effective enforcement.

He also criticised what he described as an increasing emphasis on revenue generation at the expense of NAFDAC’s core responsibility of protecting public health.

However, a public affairs analyst, Adebayo Abubakar, said scrapping NAFDAC or SON would not solve the problem.

According to him, the agencies were established to protect consumers and enforce standards, making it necessary to strengthen their capacity and hold officials accountable rather than dismantling them.

Abubakar said the continued presence of counterfeit medicines, adulterated foods, fake electrical products, substandard building materials and other imitation goods across Nigerian markets raised fundamental questions about the effectiveness of the regulatory system.

Another public affairs analyst, Musa Aliyu, called for a review of the National Policy on the Contamination of Drugs and Unwholesome Practices of Pharmaceuticals.

Aliyu said the challenge extended beyond medicines and required stronger collaboration among government agencies, communities and consumers.

He also advocated decentralising NAFDAC’s operations to improve monitoring and enforcement across the country, stressing the importance of grassroots awareness.

Lawyers demand tougher sanctions

A Lagos based dispute resolution lawyer, Muhammed Adam, urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on fake and substandard products.

Adam described the proliferation of counterfeit goods as a serious public health and economic threat that required urgent action.

He said counterfeiters were increasingly targeting products that Nigerians rely on for their health and daily needs, including medicines, food, cosmetics and other consumer goods.

The lawyer also called for stronger prosecution of those behind the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit products, arguing that seizures alone would have limited impact if offenders were not consistently brought to justice.

Another lawyer, Ibrahim Adebayo, accused regulatory agencies of failing to sustain the aggressive campaign against counterfeit products seen during previous administrations.

He called for greater accountability from NAFDAC and stronger coordination among NAFDAC, SON, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and security agencies.

Adebayo also urged the government to strengthen surveillance at ports, warehouses, markets and online marketplaces, noting that counterfeiters were increasingly exploiting digital platforms to reach unsuspecting consumers.

NAFDAC silent, SON directs inquiries

When contacted, NAFDAC’s Head of Enforcement, Dr Martin Iluyomade, declined to comment.

Calls placed to his mobile phones were reportedly unanswered or not returned, while WhatsApp messages seeking his response were also not acknowledged as of press time.

Efforts to obtain SON’s response were also unsuccessful. A highly placed source in the organisation directed Saturday PUNCH to NAFDAC, explaining that matters concerning the regulation and circulation of fake, substandard and falsified medicines fell within NAFDAC’s mandate.

The source advised that inquiries concerning SON’s mandate and activities should be formally addressed to the organisation’s Director General and Chief Executive.

The growing public concern has therefore placed renewed pressure on regulatory and enforcement agencies to strengthen surveillance, improve coordination and ensure that manufacturers, importers and distributors of counterfeit and substandard products are identified and prosecuted.