By Nkechi Eze
The Federal Government has unveiled a robust nationwide offensive against hazardous cosmetic products, setting up a powerful multi-sectoral task force to tackle what authorities now regard as a largely underestimated but serious public health menace.
The initiative, launched in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with development partners, saw the formal inauguration of the National Cosmetics Safety Management Technical Working Group (NCSM-TWG), marking a decisive transition from policy formulation to active enforcement in the cosmetics sector.
Officials said the move is designed to stem the widespread circulation of substandard and toxic cosmetic products that have subjected millions of Nigerians to grave health dangers, ranging from hormonal imbalance and kidney damage to cancer.
Representing the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Daju Kachollom, the Senior Technical Assistant, Dr Dogara Okara, described unsafe cosmetics as a modern-day public health emergency that often goes unnoticed.
He revealed that several cosmetic products currently in the market contain harmful substances, including heavy metals and formaldehyde, which can severely compromise vital organs such as the kidneys, heart and eyes.
“These products appear harmless, but their long-term effects are devastating,” Okara said, listing skin diseases, discolouration, hormonal disruption, kidney failure and cancer as some of the health outcomes associated with prolonged exposure.
He explained that the establishment of the Technical Working Group flows from the National Policy on Cosmetics Safety and Health, approved and unveiled during the 66th National Council on Health meeting held in Calabar in November 2025.
According to him, the NCSM-TWG is mandated to offer technical and strategic direction for implementing the policy, harmonise cosmetics safety interventions across sectors, operationalise decisions of the National Multi-Sectoral Ministerial Advisory Committee on Cosmetics, and support the review and enforcement of national safety standards.
Kachollom added that the diverse composition of the group, drawing membership from government institutions, regulatory bodies, academia, civil society organisations and development partners, underscores the gravity of the assignment, with members expected to serve a five-year tenure.
Also speaking, the Director and Head of the Food and Drug Services Department of the Ministry, Mrs Olufowobi-Yusuf Adeola, said the inaugural meeting signalled the start of structured technical collaboration under the new policy framework.
She noted that the platform was created to synchronise expertise, define responsibilities and agree on priority actions, ensuring that the policy translates into measurable results.
Chairman of the Technical Working Group and Director of the Cosmetics Safety Management Programme, Dr Paul Okhakhu, attributed Nigeria’s cosmetics safety challenges to years of poor coordination and the absence of a coherent regulatory architecture.
He warned that improperly produced cosmetics can interfere with the endocrine system, impair kidney function and even endanger unborn children.
Okhakhu said the new framework aligns Nigeria with international best practices and offers clear guidance to manufacturers, regulators and consumers, adding that stricter regulation, better product labelling, heightened public awareness and safer cosmetics should emerge between 2026 and 2030.
Development partners expressed strong support for the initiative.
The World Health Organization, represented by Dr Edwin Isotu Edeh, described the policy as beneficial to health, industry and the African continent, cautioning that poorly regulated cosmetic production, particularly in the informal sector, carries silent but long-term health consequences.
On the enforcement front, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) disclosed that implementation is already underway.
Prince Ikenna Usofor, Director overseeing Imported and Locally Manufactured Cosmetics, said no cosmetic product, whether produced locally or imported, would be permitted into the Nigerian market without proper regulatory approval.
He stressed that cosmetics containing mercury, lead and excessive fluoride pose serious long-term risks, including kidney disease and hormonal disorders, and would no longer be tolerated.
Resolve to Save Lives, through its Country Representative, Nanlop Ogbureke, described the policy as a critical intervention that plugs a longstanding regulatory loophole, noting that cosmetics safety sits at the crossroads of public health, consumer protection and economic growth.
The organisation pledged sustained technical assistance, saying the Technical Working Group establishes a durable structure for safer cosmetics regulation.
The NCSM-TWG comprises representatives from the Ministries of Health, Environment, and Industry, Trade and Investment, regulatory and law enforcement agencies, universities, and development partners such as WHO and Resolve to Save Lives.
With the new task force in operation, the Federal Government says the country is now better equipped to eliminate toxic cosmetics from the market and safeguard Nigerians through coordinated, evidence-based oversight, bringing to an end an era in which beauty often carried hidden health risks.
