Nigeria's Wild West of Weight-Loss Injections: Social Media Fuels Unregulated Market

A popular Nigerian media personality's casual mention of using the weight-loss drug Mounjaro on social media inadvertently triggered an investigation into the country's booming, yet poorly regulated, market for such injectables. Toke Makinwa disclosed in May that she used Mounjaro until December and then returned to the gym, a post that quickly circulated, sparking discussions about the drug's cost and availability.

Vendors quickly responded to the online chatter with advertisements and price quotes, leading PREMIUM TIMES into a week-long investigation. The probe revealed a digital marketplace where Mounjaro and Ozempic, both GLP-1 receptor agonists originally developed for type 2 diabetes and later approved for weight management under medical supervision, were sold without any prescription checks. These vendors also minimized or outright denied the potential side effects associated with the drugs.

Further complicating the issue, the investigation uncovered a network of interconnected, anonymous websites actively marketing Retatrutide, an experimental drug still in Phase three clinical trials by manufacturer Eli Lilly. The World Health Organization defines this phase as the final testing stage before potential approval. The unregulated sale of these potent medications, especially an experimental one, bypasses crucial medical oversight, raising serious concerns about patient safety and the potential for adverse health outcomes in Nigeria.

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Consistency really produces results… I’m not one to pretend or lie. I was on Mounjaro till December; my last dose was on the 31st of December, and I hit the gym hard in January.