The fake products slowly killing Nigerians

Nigeria’s counterfeit-goods crisis reaches far beyond fake medicines. The article describes a market filled with imitation toothpaste, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, food, cosmetics, supplements, baby products and household items.

These products appear in supermarkets, pharmacies, roadside stalls and markets. Many are deliberately packaged to look genuine, leaving consumers unsure whether what they put in their mouths, apply to their bodies or give to their children matches the label.

The danger is especially acute with medicines. A person diagnosed with malaria may take what appears to be an authentic antimalarial drug, only to receive a product containing little or none of the required active ingredient. Instead of recovering, the patient may remain ill or suffer further harm.

The article also points to videos showing suspected counterfeit production, including men stamping cartons for a popular television brand and brewing fake malt and alcoholic drinks in unhygienic surroundings. Fake bottles, labels and seals can be hard for consumers to distinguish from genuine ones.

Adulterated milk, cooking oil, spices and beverages can expose entire families to harmful substances. Children, pregnant women, older people and those with underlying illnesses may be particularly vulnerable. Creams, soaps, lotions and perfumes are also described as targets for adulteration.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has issued alerts and recalls involving substandard, falsified and unregistered products. Its legal framework prohibits the manufacture, sale and distribution of counterfeit, adulterated, banned, fake, substandard or expired drugs and unwholesome processed foods. The article argues that the continued growth of the illicit trade raises a central question: why do the laws and regulatory action still fail to stop it?