Despite the ongoing awareness campaign against fake products on social media, millions of Nigerians use toothpaste without a second thought. It is one of the most routine acts of personal hygiene imaginable. But in 2026, that routine carries a hidden danger that NAFDAC, doctors, and concerned citizens are all warning about.
Just like other products, fake toothpaste is flooding Nigerian markets. It is no longer just theoretical. Earlier this year, NAFDAC’s Post-Marketing Surveillance unit discovered counterfeit Colgate products circulating in Kaduna State, manufactured in Guangzhou, China, and designed to look almost identical to the genuine product. The only visible clue? The spelling difference.
NAFDAC has since issued multiple public alerts, including warnings about counterfeit Oral-B and Oracire toothpaste products, and directed nationwide surveillance. Separate videos circulating on Nigerian social media showed one investigator visiting five to seven shops in a single area and finding counterfeit Oral-B in every single one. Many sellers had no idea they were stocking fakes.
The Chemical Problem
Genuine toothpaste uses safe glycerine as a key ingredient. Counterfeit products, on the other hand, have been found to substitute it with diethylene glycol. That is the same chemical that has been linked to mass poisonings in contaminated cough syrup across multiple countries. You are not swallowing toothpaste in large amounts. But you are using it twice daily, every day, for years. Small but frequent exposures compound over time.
A Nigerian physician speaking publicly about the fake Oral-B issue said it plainly: some of the liver failure, kidney failure, heart problems, and fertility issues now endemic in Nigerian society are directly connected to the long-term use of products containing toxic chemicals. Counterfeit goods are more of a public health challenge than an economic problem.
The packaging is convincing, the price is right, but most importantly, the damage is invisible until it is not. NAFDAC destroyed more than N120 billion worth of counterfeit and substandard products in the second half of 2024 alone. A terrifying figure at the time.
What Can You Do Right Now?
- Buy from registered pharmacies and supermarkets with a traceable supply chain rather than open markets or roaming vendors.
- Check the NAFDAC registration number on the product and verify it on the NAFDAC website before purchasing.
- Look carefully at the spelling on the packaging.
- Examine the seal, texture of the tube, and quality of the print.
- If the price seems unusually low for a well-known brand, that is not a bargain.
Nigeria is a country where you already have to fight for clean water, breathable air, and safe food. You should not also have to fight for the right to brush your teeth safely.
READ ALSO: https://alo360.net/fake-products-swarm-nigerian-markets/
