LAGOS, NIGERIA — The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered unlabelled and unregistered cosmetic products, alongside packaging materials, during a fresh enforcement operation at the Trade Fair Complex in Lagos State.
The agency disclosed the discovery on Saturday, November 14, through a post on its official X account, accompanied by a video showing its enforcement personnel conducting the operation at the Tools and Hardware Complex within the sprawling commercial centre.
NAFDAC described the exercise as an enforcement operation targeting products that do not meet Nigeria’s regulatory requirements for cosmetics. However, the agency’s initial announcement did not disclose the quantity or estimated value of the materials recovered, the identities of the businesses involved or whether any arrests had been made.
The latest discovery adds to a series of enforcement operations conducted by the agency at the Trade Fair Complex, located along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Ojo Local Government Area. The market is a major commercial destination where traders deal in cosmetics, perfumes, household products, imported goods and other consumer items.
The operation also highlights continuing regulatory concerns about the circulation of cosmetics without proper registration, product identification and legally required labelling information.
Under Nigeria’s cosmetics regulatory framework, products manufactured, imported, distributed, advertised or sold in the country must comply with NAFDAC registration requirements. The regulations also require appropriate labelling, including the product’s identity, batch number, net content, expiry date, manufacturer’s name, country of origin and assigned registration number.
These requirements are intended to help regulators trace products, identify responsible manufacturers and distributors, and provide consumers with information needed to make informed purchasing decisions.
Unlabelled cosmetic products can create particular difficulties for regulators because their ingredients, manufacturing origins and safety status may be difficult to establish. Packaging materials recovered during enforcement operations may also require examination to determine whether they are connected to unauthorised production, repackaging or distribution activities.
NAFDAC has repeatedly warned that the circulation and use of banned, counterfeit or improperly regulated cosmetics could expose consumers to harmful substances. Depending on their composition, unsafe products may cause skin irritation, burns, allergic reactions and other health complications.
The agency’s latest action follows an earlier major discovery at the APT Trade Fair Complex in February 2026, when officials uncovered a warehouse containing banned, counterfeit and unregistered cosmetic products reportedly valued at more than ₦3 billion.
Among the products recovered during that operation were 728 cartons of Crusader soap, 718 cartons of E45 soap and quantities of Extract Gold whitening soap, which NAFDAC identified as banned products. Assorted perfumes, body oils and cooking oils were also found at the facility.
The agency said the warehouse was concealed inside an unfinished building and that the seized products were evacuated to prevent their distribution. Its officials also invited the warehouse manager for questioning as investigations continued.
In another enforcement exercise conducted in August, NAFDAC sealed several shops and business premises at the Trade Fair Complex over suspected dealings in unregistered cosmetic products. The agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Cosmetics Division, carried out the operation on August 26 and 27.
Samples of the suspected products were collected for further investigation, while the affected premises were placed under NAFDAC HOLD notices pending regulatory action. Owners and operators were also invited for questioning.
The repeated discoveries have intensified attention on the supply chains through which cosmetics enter Nigerian markets, particularly products that may be imported, repackaged or distributed without adequate regulatory oversight.
For consumers, the developments reinforce the importance of checking product labels and registration details before purchasing cosmetics. Buyers are advised to avoid products with missing or illegible labels, unclear manufacturing information or suspicious claims, and to report suspected violations to NAFDAC.
The agency is expected to provide further details on the latest operation as its investigations and enforcement activities continue. Information on the quantity of materials recovered, the businesses involved and possible sanctions will be important in establishing the full extent of the latest discovery.
NAFDAC’s renewed action underscores the regulatory challenge of preventing unsafe and unregistered products from reaching consumers, particularly in large commercial centres where thousands of goods change hands daily.
