27.1.2026
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting public health by eliminating substandard cosmetics and ensuring that products used in Nigeria meet approved safety standards.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ms Daju Kachollom, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja, at the inauguration of the National Policy on Cosmetics Safety and Health.
Represented by the Senior Technical Assistant, Dr Dogara Okara, Kachollom said the policy was designed to address rising health risks associated with unsafe cosmetic products in Nigeria’s expanding beauty and personal care industry.
She said the initiative became necessary due to the increasing circulation of harmful cosmetic products across the country, posing serious short and long term health risks to consumers.
“Unsafe cosmetics remain one of the greatest threats to public health in the 21st century globally, with implications ranging from skin diseases to cancer, hormonal disorders and kidney damage,” she said.
Kachollom explained that many cosmetic products contain toxic substances such as formaldehyde and heavy metals capable of damaging vital organs, making urgent government intervention unavoidable.
She said the policy provides a legal and institutional framework for establishing the National Policy on Cosmetic Safety and Management and inaugurating the National Cosmetics Safety Management Technical Working Group.
“It is in view of these implications that the ministry ensured a policy was put in place to guarantee that cosmetic products used in Nigeria are safe for everyone,” she said.
According to her, the framework ensures that cosmetics manufactured, imported, distributed and used in Nigeria meet approved safety standards while aligning with global best practices.
Kachollom added that members of the Technical Working Group were drawn from government institutions, regulatory agencies, academia, development partners and non-governmental organisations to ensure coordinated implementation.
Also speaking, Mr Paul Okhakhu, Director, Cosmetic Safety Management Programme, said the policy responded to increasing reports of adverse cosmetic events nationwide.
“We didn’t have a policy of this nature before, in spite of widespread adverse cosmetic events, yet virtually every Nigerian uses one form of cosmetic or another,” Okhakhu said.
He explained that the absence of clear national guidelines allowed unsafe practices to thrive, exposing consumers to preventable health risks.
Okhakhu said improperly formulated cosmetics could cause kidney failure, liver damage, hormonal disruption and developmental abnormalities in unborn children.
“When chemicals are not used in the right proportion, they affect vital organs and, in pregnant women, may result in babies not properly formed,” he said. NAN