ABUJA, Nigeria – The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered unlabelled and unregistered cosmetics and packaging materials at the Tools and Hardware Complex, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos, in a fresh enforcement operation against unsafe beauty products.
The agency disclosed the operation in a post on its official X account on Saturday, accompanied by a video showing the raid. “An enforcement operation has uncovered unlabelled and unregistered cosmetics and packaging materials at the Tools and Hardware Complex, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos,” NAFDAC said.
Items recovered during the operation reportedly included 728 cartons of Crusader soap, 718 cartons of E45 soap and quantities of Extract Gold whitening soap. The agency identified the products as banned by the Federal Government, although it did not provide a breakdown of the quantities of Extract Gold soap recovered in the information supplied.
The latest operation is part of a series of enforcement actions by NAFDAC at the Trade Fair Complex, a major commercial centre along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. NAFDAC has repeatedly warned consumers against the use of banned and unregistered cosmetic products, citing the potential risks associated with harmful chemicals and improperly regulated ingredients.
Some unsafe skin-lightening products may contain substances capable of causing skin damage and other adverse health effects. The agency has urged members of the public to report suspicious cosmetics and other regulated products to its nearest office. The seizure highlights continuing concerns over the circulation of prohibited and unregistered beauty products in Nigerian markets, despite regulatory enforcement efforts.
However, consumers and traders need further clarification on the specific regulatory status of each recovered product, the manufacturers or distributors involved, and whether arrests or prosecutions will follow the operation. NAFDAC is expected to provide additional details on the seized items and the next steps in its enforcement process.
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