Fake Products Put Nigerians at Risk as Doctors Warn and Manufacturers Count Losses

Fake toothpaste, creams, bottled water and yoghurt drinks have fueled a growing alarm in Nigeria, where doctors warn that counterfeit products are putting consumers’ health at risk while legitimate manufacturers absorb heavy losses.

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The whole conversation around fake products is exactly why we advocate frequently for regulation. You cannot expect the average Nigerian to be a food scientist, pharmacist, chemist, and product inspector before they can safely buy toothpaste, food, or medicine.

Online concern intensified over the weekend as Nigerians, including influencer Scott Iguma and health advocate Aproko Doctor, highlighted suspected counterfeit goods. Dr Chinonso Egemba, widely known as Aproko Doctor, said consumers should not need specialist knowledge to determine whether ordinary products are safe.

“The whole conversation around fake products is exactly why we advocate frequently for regulation. You cannot expect the average Nigerian to be a food scientist, pharmacist, chemist, and product inspector before they can safely buy toothpaste, food, or medicine,” Egemba said. He called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria to remove fake goods from the market and hold those responsible accountable.

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The market needs to be properly regulated, fake products need to be taken off the shelves, and people putting Nigerians’ lives at risk need to be held accountable. We should not have to gamble with our health every time we go to the market.

Medical and pharmaceutical experts told The PUNCH that counterfeit drugs and unsafe processed foods were linked to organ damage, cardiac complications and preventable deaths. Dr Babajide Saheed, a former chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association’s Lagos chapter, called the problem longstanding and dangerous. He said fake medicines could contribute to renal failure, heart problems and mental health complications, while ineffective treatment forces patients to spend more and undermines national health statistics.

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This is an unfortunate and dangerous trend that has happened in this country for a very long time. It is not a new thing, and the government must do something about it.

Saheed called for an emergency-style response from agencies including the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria and NAFDAC. He said enforcement must move beyond official declarations, arguing that nobody was protected from the risks. The article also reported that manufacturers, medical experts and economists were seeking tougher penalties, warning that counterfeit products were wiping out legitimate businesses and stunting the economy.

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You cannot get a proper statistical progress of any ailment if you continue with this type of counterfeit drug.