Nigeria launches investigation into counterfeit Colgate distribution in Kaduna state

NIGERIA – The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a public alert on unregistered and suspected counterfeit Colgate toothpaste circulating in Kaduna State, Nigeria.

This move comes after NAFDAC’s Post‑Marketing Surveillance (PMS) Directorate received a tip‑off about the distribution of unregistered and suspected counterfeit Colgate toothpaste in Kaduna, prompting an on‑site inspection of a retail outlet. 

Officers reportedly seized two suspect variants, marketed under names such as “Coglaet ActivGel 100g” and “Coglaet Herbal 100g”, that mimic Colgate branding but are not duly registered with the agency. 

The shop owner told investigators the products were supplied by a door‑to‑door sales representative, but failed to produce any verifiable proof of purchase, raising red flags about sourcing and traceability.

NAFDAC has stressed that the seized toothpaste products are unregistered, meaning they have not undergone its safety, quality, and efficacy checks, and hence their ingredients and manufacturing conditions are unknown. 

The agency warns that prolonged use of such counterfeits could expose consumers to oral‑health complications or harmful substances, effectively framing the case as a public‑health risk rather than just an intellectual‑property or brand‑protection issue.

This narrative suits NAFDAC’s broader mandate to crack down on substandard and falsified medicines and “quasi‑drugs” such as toothpastes, whose active ingredients can have systemic effects.

The agency has removed the suspect products from the identified outlet and begun tracking the distributors and upstream supply channels, including the door‑to‑door representative and any parallel markets where similar products may be circulating.

NAFDAC has also indicated it is stepping up nationwide surveillance of toothpaste and oral‑care products, with an emphasis on unauthorized distribution routes and informal traders who may not maintain proper documentation. 

This investigative lens points to deeper systemic issues such as weak traceability, poor record‑keeping among small retailers, and the use of deliberate misspellings (e.g., “Coglaet”) to deceive consumers.

NAFDAC has advised consumers to buy toothpaste only from authorized outlets, scrutinize spellings and packaging details, and check for valid registration numbers, which can be used as a hook for consumer‑education reporting. 

Consumers, retailers, and distributors must verify product authenticity via NAFDAC codes and packaging before purchase or use. 

In case of any suspected report, consumers are advised to report to the nearest NAFDAC office, hotline 0800-162-3322, or email sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng. 

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