Fake Products Take Over Nigerian Markets as Consumers Cry Out, Demand Urgent Action
Nigerians are raising the alarm over the growing circulation of suspected fake, adulterated and substandard products in markets across the Country, with increasing concerns over the possible health and economic consequences.
The renewed outcry has placed the spotlight on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, as consumers question how counterfeit food, drugs, cosmetics and other everyday products continue to find their way onto market shelves despite the agencies’ statutory responsibilities.
The concerns have been amplified by a growing social media campaign in which Nigerians share videos and photographs of products they suspect to be counterfeit. While some of the claims circulating online have not been independently verified, the volume of complaints has intensified calls for stronger surveillance, enforcement and prosecution.
Recent online discussions have focused on suspected fake toothpaste, yoghurt, paracetamol, palm oil, beverages, water, cooking products and other household goods.
One of the widely circulated cases involved Oral-B toothpaste. Nigerian Doctor, Somto Okonkwo, reportedly posted a comparison of genuine and suspected counterfeit tubes, highlighting differences in packaging, seals, texture, translucency and taste.
According to his demonstration, some suspected fake versions had seals that were not present on the original product, while the paste appeared thicker and less translucent and had a different flavour.
The video was subsequently amplified by UK-based Nigerian physician, Dr Olufunmilayo Ogunsanya, increasing its reach online.
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 they stocked might be fake.
He explained that genuine products typically use safe glycerine, while some counterfeit toothpaste could contain dangerous substitutes such as diethylene glycol.
Concerns have also spread to yoghurt and other food products. Videos circulated online in early September allegedly showed suspected counterfeit Hollandia yoghurt being packaged under unhygienic conditions.
Other social media users have posted comparisons of genuine and suspected fake yoghurt, drawing attention to differences in thickness, creaminess, packaging and barcodes.
On September 4, Ogunsanya also raised concerns over paracetamol after sharing photographs of two tablets allegedly produced by the same company but showing noticeable differences in colour.
He warned consumers that such differences might only become apparent when products are placed side by side.
Other Nigerians have reported suspected counterfeit palm oil, painted fruits, fake soy sauce and olive oil, substandard chicken and fish, fake bottled and sachet water, beverages, alcohol, vehicle parts and tyres.
An X user, Oluwole Olofintuyi, alleged that the problem had reached alarming proportions, listing fake milk, yoghurt, bread, palm oil, rice, medicines, toothpaste, baby formula, beverages, toothbrushes, bottled water, vehicle parts and tyres among products Nigerians reportedly encounter.
He further alleged that some regulatory officials, distributors and importers could be complicit in the circulation of counterfeit goods. However, the allegations remain claims by the social media user and have not been independently established.
Another X user, Chinedu Samuel, questioned the effectiveness of NAFDAC and expressed concern that the proliferation of fake products posed both health and economic dangers.
Some Nigerians also accused regulatory agencies of becoming more focused on revenue generation than consumer protection, while others called for collaboration among NAFDAC, SON, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, the Nigeria Customs Service and security agencies.
NAFDAC Seizes Millions of Fake Drugs
The renewed concerns come against the backdrop of several enforcement operations by NAFDAC.
In February 2026, the agency reportedly seized more than 10 million doses of counterfeit 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 valued at more than N3bn were reportedly stored.
The products allegedly included prohibited injectable anti-malarial medicines, antibiotics, sachet drugs and blister packs, alongside perfumes, body oils and cooking oils.
The agency had earlier disclosed in 2025 that about 30 per cent of medicines circulating in open markets were fake or substandard.
In March 2025, NAFDAC also seized and destroyed confiscated medicines reportedly worth N1tn. The operation covered major drug markets, including Onitsha, Ogbo-Ogwuu and Aba, and involved products such as banned Analgin and high-dose Tramadol.
Doctors Warn of Kidney, Liver Damage
Medical experts have warned that counterfeit food, medicines and other consumer products can expose Nigerians to harmful chemicals and contaminants.
The Director of Medical Services at the Medical Centre of the Federal College of Education, Akoka, Lagos, Dr Rotimi Adesanya, said counterfeit products could contain substances capable of damaging vital organs, particularly the kidneys and liver.
He linked some cases of liver and kidney failure, heart complications, infertility and low sperm count to exposure to harmful chemicals in counterfeit products.
Adesanya also explained the difference between an expiry date and a “best before” date, stressing that expired medicines may lose potency and fail to perform their intended function.
He urged NAFDAC to intensify routine surveillance and randomly inspect products displayed on shop shelves to ensure they remain safe, genuine and effective.
According to him, economic hardship is one factor contributing to the problem, as consumers struggling financially may opt for cheaper alternatives without realising that they could be purchasing counterfeit goods.
He advised Nigerians to consider products from reputable brands and trusted sources and to remain vigilant when purchasing medicines and other essential commodities.
A former Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Lagos State, Dr Saheed Babajide, blamed the continued spread of counterfeit drugs largely on weak enforcement.
He said previous raids and closures of shops in areas such as Idumota in Lagos and Aba in Abia State had not permanently eliminated the problem.
Babajide warned that ineffective or partially effective medicines could prolong illnesses, increase hospital admissions and impose additional financial pressure on already struggling families.
He called for tougher legislation and penalties for individuals involved in manufacturing, importing, distributing or selling fake medicines.
Calls Grow for NAFDAC and SON Overhaul
Public commentator Segun Odunewu called for an overhaul of NAFDAC, alleging that the agency was no longer as effective as it was during the era of its former Director-General, the late Dora Akunyili.
He also called for greater accountability from the agency’s leadership and urged regulators to return their attention to their primary responsibility of protecting public health.
However, public affairs analyst Adebayo Abubakar cautioned against scrapping NAFDAC or SON.
He argued that the existence of counterfeit products was not necessarily evidence that the agencies themselves should be abolished, but rather that their enforcement capacity should be strengthened and officials held accountable where they fail to perform their duties.
Abubakar said counterfeit medicines, adulterated foods, fake electrical products, substandard building materials and imitation consumer goods continued to appear in Nigerian markets.
He noted that NAFDAC and SON were established to protect consumers and enforce standards and should therefore be equipped to effectively carry out those responsibilities.
Another analyst, Musa Aliyu, called for a review of the National Policy on the Contamination of Drugs and Unwholesome Practices of Pharmaceuticals.
He said the problem had expanded beyond medicines and required stronger cooperation between government agencies, communities and consumers.
Aliyu also advocated decentralising NAFDAC operations to improve monitoring and enforcement at the grassroots.
Lawyers Demand Tougher Sanctions
Legal practitioners have also joined the growing calls for decisive action.
A Lagos-based dispute resolution lawyer, Muhammed Adam, urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on fake and substandard products.
He described the activities of counterfeiters as organised economic and public-health sabotage, arguing that people could die from ineffective medicines, contaminated food, dangerous cosmetics and faulty electrical or automobile components.
Adam also referred to recent seizures by the Nigeria Customs Service involving expired medicines and products bearing allegedly fake NAFDAC labels, including a reported seizure in Apapa valued at N53.4bn.
He further cited the interception of suspected fake anti-malaria drugs valued at N1.2bn that were allegedly concealed under a declaration of spare parts.
According to him, counterfeiters are increasingly exploiting online marketplaces, groupage cargo and other channels to evade detection.
He argued that seizures alone would not solve the problem unless manufacturers, importers and distributors were consistently prosecuted and convicted.
Another lawyer, Ibrahim Adebayo, alleged that regulatory agencies had become less aggressive in combating counterfeit products compared with previous years.
He called for stronger accountability and coordination between NAFDAC, SON, Customs, the FCCPC and security agencies.
Adebayo also stressed the need to extend enforcement to online platforms, where counterfeit products can be advertised and sold to unsuspecting consumers.
He urged authorities to strengthen surveillance at ports, warehouses and markets while improving intelligence-sharing among regulatory and security agencies.
NAFDAC, SON Yet to Respond
Efforts to obtain NAFDAC’s reaction to the renewed concerns were unsuccessful.
The Agency’s Head of Enforcement, Dr Martin Iluyomade, reportedly declined to comment. Calls to his mobile lines were not answered or returned, while messages sent through WhatsApp seeking his response were reportedly not acknowledged as of press time.
Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria were also reportedly unsuccessful.
As concerns continue to spread, Nigerians are demanding more visible and sustained enforcement to prevent dangerous counterfeit products from reaching consumers.
The growing online campaign has also placed renewed pressure on regulatory agencies to demonstrate that products sold in Nigerian markets meet required safety and quality standards.
Global Mirror News gathered that beyond seizures and public warnings, stakeholders are increasingly calling for a coordinated national response involving regulators, Customs, law enforcement agencies, manufacturers, distributors, market associations and consumers to tackle the counterfeit-products crisis.
The central concern remains that without stronger surveillance, effective prosecution and sustained enforcement, unsuspecting Nigerians may continue to bear the health and financial consequences of counterfeit goods.
