Nigeria tightens grip on cosmetics market amid rise in counterfeit goods
The policy was approved during the 66th National Council on Health meeting in Calabar late in 2025.
NIGERIA – Nigeria’s Federal Government has approved a groundbreaking regulatory framework to sanitize the rapidly expanding beauty and personal care industry, targeting the rampant proliferation of counterfeit and hazardous cosmetics.
This pivotal National Policy on Cosmetics Safety and Health comes at a critical juncture, as the sector’s growth, driven by youthful consumer enthusiasm and surging disposable incomes, has unfortunately led to an influx of unsafe products that pose serious public health risks.
The policy aims to set stringent standards across manufacturing, importation, and distribution to ensure only safe cosmetics reach Nigerian consumers.
The framework aims to standardise cosmetic products nationwide, eliminate harmful formulations, and enforce comprehensive safety protocols to protect users from preventable harm.
Many illicit products harbour toxic elements like formaldehyde and heavy metals, which can precipitate dire consequences, including skin disorders, cancer, endocrine disruptions, and renal impairment.
Princewill Nsofor, deputy director and head of the Cosmetics and Household Products Department at NAFDAC, reinforced this urgency, declaring cosmetics safety a paramount priority: “No cosmetic product will enter or be manufactured in this country without proper oversight.”
He elaborated that routine daily use amplifies cumulative risks, potentially eclipsing even the short-term hazards of prescription medications.
To drive practical execution, the policy inaugurates a Technical Working Group uniting federal agencies, academic institutions, industry players, and civil society organizations, fostering collaborative enforcement.
Paul Okhakhu, director of the Cosmetic Safety Management Programme, attributed past vulnerabilities to the absence of national guidelines, which permitted hazardous practices to flourish unchecked.
Chronic issues such as interagency discord and regulatory gaps have long hampered ingredient safety reforms, delaying critical interventions.
In November 2025, the Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria (IPAN) urged the government to address these gaps amid the industry’s rapid growth.
IPAN Registrar and CEO Aliyu Abdullah Angara warned of substandard, adulterated, or inadequately tested imports exploiting fragmented mandates and oversight lapses.
He positioned public analysts as indispensable sentinels, urging a cohesive regulatory architecture to seal exploitable fissures.
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