A lot of consumers have complained about and noticed changes in the taste of edible products. Questions have also been raised about how people produce fake products and put them out for public consumption, which can cause consumers to suffer health issues.
Consumers have made complaints to authorities, and some have called out brands after discovering counterfeits of their products, in case the brands are not aware. However, the issue seems to have become rampant in Nigeria.
The issue of counterfeit products was once a major problem in Nigeria, but the fearless Dora Akunyili did all her best when she served as the director-general of NAFDAC to ensure that Nigerians consumed safe products and that counterfeit products were eradicated. Her work almost cost her her life while she served as the director-general of NAFDAC. 
Dora Akunyili’s fight against counterfeit products
Akunyili was a Nigerian pharmacist, professor and public servant best known for leading the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) from 2001 to 2008.
She became a national figure through her determined campaign against counterfeit and substandard drugs, which had endangered countless lives across the country.
Under her leadership, NAFDAC strengthened product regulation, increased public awareness and cracked down on fake drug networks.
Her efforts restored public confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system and earned her widespread recognition at home and abroad.
Akunyili remains one of Nigeria’s most respected reformers and public health advocates.
As consumers report counterfeit products to the authorities, it seems the actions the authorities have put in place to eradicate counterfeit products are not enough, as Dora Akunyili did. This is not an assumption based on the work she did.
Nigerians turn to social media to share their experiences
Social media platforms have become a medium through which people share their experiences of buying counterfeit medications, sanitary pads and edible foods.
The rate at which consumers come online with evidence to explain their awful experiences is alarming.
Nigerians have lost many loved ones to intake of counterfeit products. Some to serious health challenges that arouse from the use of fake drugs, food. What about the people who have been affected by fake products and have died after taking or using them?
Below are a few of the many experiences consumers have shared online.
Fake malaria drugs produced in Lagos
Emeka Madu got arrested for making fake malaria drugs in an uncompleted building in Ikotun, Lagos. He was rounded up with three other men for manufacturing fake drugs to sell to Nigerians.
According to reports, Madu and the three other men had produced pills from the dusty floor for four years. Emeka stated that he was not a pharmacist and said the medication contained active ingredients used to make the medications.
Emeka, a secondary school dropout, said a late friend had trained him in the act. He claimed the manufacturers distributed the medications to pharmacy stores in Onitsha, South-East Nigeria.
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Lady raises concerns over fake creams and medications
The second report shared online, among many others, involved a lady, Toabliss, who spotted creams and other products that she believed were fake. The video is below.
The lady said that everything Nigerians buy now, including the medications they consume, could pose a risk if they do not buy them from guaranteed pharmacy stores.
Toabliss said there was a high tendency for people to buy fake medication and that anyone could die from using counterfeit medication.
Consumer shares experience with Hollandia yoghurt
One of the few videos shared shows a consumer sharing the awful experience she had with Hollandia yoghurt.
The Hollandia yoghurt looked too thick unlike the original product, but its unusual thickness raised concerns for the consumer.
This made her share her experience of buying what she believed was a fake product.
Lots of people’s lives could be at stake if they drink counterfeit Hollandia yoghurt.
Capri-Sun raises concerns over children’s safety
Children are also not safe, as one of the drinks children take, Capri-Sun, has raised concerns among consumers.
A consumer noticed a change in the taste and also found orange seeds inside the Capri-Sun pack, which should not be inside the drink.
The rate of fake products has become so alarming and scary that it baffles everyone because people continue to raise concerns about products they believe are fake.
Nigeria also has a regulatory body that ought to ensure that fake products do not reach consumers.
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NAFDAC director-general faces questions over counterfeit products
The current director-general of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, was asked a question about calls for her resignation because Nigerians did not want her anymore.
At that moment, she burst into laughter and mocked the journalist.
Her reaction made Nigerians furious, as some people felt that she did not care about the rampant counterfeit medications and products in Nigeria.
Earlier in September in Ondo State, 30 people were reportedly dead after taking fake local drinks, while some others remained hospitalised.
Lady shares Softcare sanitary pad experience
A lady, Faidat, also shared her experience with a Softcare sanitary pad, which she said caused an infection that she had to treat.
She mentioned that she used the pad last month and developed an infection, which she had to treat immediately.
Faidat also said that when she used the pad this month, she still felt the same way.
She called out the brand and asked it to do the needful.
Nigerians continue to seek answers
The growing number of complaints shared online shows how consumers now use Instagram and TikTok to talk about their experiences with products they suspect could be fake or unsafe.
Consumers have complained to the relevant authorities and have also called out brands when they notice something unusual about their products.
Dora Akunyili’s work against counterfeit products remains a major part of Nigeria’s history in the fight against fake drugs. Today, Nigerians continue to raise concerns about counterfeit products, but many now take those concerns directly to social media.
Consumers want to know that the products they eat, drink, use and buy are safe.
The authorities must listen to these complaints and take them seriously, while brands must also pay attention when consumers raise concerns about their products.
When Nigerians stop trusting regulators to address their concerns, they turn to Instagram and TikTok to make their voices heard.
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