Uganda bans over 2,000kg of skin-lightening creams over cancer-linked chemical

UGANDA – The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) recently confiscated over 2,000 kilograms of substandard and dangerous cosmetics during a two-day enforcement operation at Jumbo Arcade in Kampala. 

The seized products, amounting to 2,087.8 kilograms, were found to contain hydroquinone, a banned skin-lightening ingredient linked to severe health risks including irreversible skin damage, organ toxicity, and increased cancer risk.

UNBS inspectors conducted the raid following intelligence reports about the sale of unregulated and harmful beauty products. 

Out of 25 shops inspected, 21 were found to be selling non-compliant cosmetics. 

The seized goods have been removed from circulation, and suspects are set to appear before the Standards and Utilities Court to face charges under the UNBS Act.

Hydroquinone is strictly prohibited under Uganda’s compulsory national standards for cosmetics. 

Prolonged exposure to this ingredient poses significant health risks, prompting UNBS to ban its use and intensify market surveillance. 

The agency urges consumers to only purchase certified cosmetics bearing the UNBS Quality (Q) Mark and to report suspicious or unlabeled products through UNBS’s toll-free lines or WhatsApp.

This crackdown highlights UNBS’s commitment to consumer protection, public health, and market integrity in Uganda’s growing beauty and personal care industry. 

The agency continues to enforce standards, conduct surveillance, and educate the public to ensure only safe, quality products reach the market. 

For a full list of banned cosmetics containing hydroquinone, the public is encouraged to visit the UNBS website.

In a similar move, the Moroccan Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AMMPS) recently banned the use of Trimethylbenzoyl Diphenylphosphine Oxide (TPO) in cosmetic products, particularly those used in nail care, such as UV-curing nail gels and polishes. 

This ban is comprehensive, covering the marketing, manufacturing, importation, distribution, and use of all cosmetics containing TPO, and it became effective immediately.

The decision by AMMPS is grounded in a rigorous toxicological review of the substance’s safety profile and aligns Morocco with recent regulatory actions taken in the European Union, which implemented a similar ban under Commission Regulation (EU) 2025/877 as of September 1, 2025. 

Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE.