Nigerian government bans NIVEA products; company reacts

Following the ban on Nivea Black and White invisible roll-on deodorant, the German multinational company that manufactures, Beiersdorf, has said its product recently flagged by Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has been discontinued since 2022 and is not sold or advertised in Nigeria.

Diaspora Digital Media understands that NAFDAC had earlier warned against using Nivea Black and White Invisible Body Deodorant, stating that European authorities had recalled it because it allegedly contained harmful chemicals prohibited for use in cosmetics products.

The company said this in reaction to the NAFDAC position against the sale or distribution of the product.

The dangerous chemical is called 2-(4-tert-Butylbenzyl propionaldehyde (BMHCA) according to NAFDAC.

“The recalled Nivea product is said to contain 2-(4-tert-Butylbenzyl propionaldehyde (BMHCA), a chemical prohibited in cosmetics products due to its ability to cause harm to the reproductive system, impair the health of an unborn child, as well as skin irritation and burns to users,” the statement reads in part.

Based on current European legislation, the use of ingredient 2-(4-tert-Butylbenzyl propionaldehyde (LilialTM) in cosmetic products has been banned from the European markets as of March 1, 2022.

“We wish to assure our esteemed customers that the Batch No. 93529610 in question has not been marketed in Nigeria and thus never recalled by Beiersdorf, the owner of NIVEA brand, as the legal manufacturer. The batch in question, in fact, expired in January 2022 and was hence at the time fully compliant with the then valid European cosmetic regulation”.

The company also affirmed its commitment to meeting global safety standards and ensured that its products undergo strict quality checks to meet regulatory requirements.

“Our entire NIVEA portfolio has been reformulated to exclude Lilial well ahead of the EU regulation that came into effect,” the company said.

“The NIVEA BLACK & WHITE Invisible Roll-on deodorant has been Lilial-free since at least 2020, including in Nigeria,” it added.

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