The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered unlabelled and unregistered cosmetics and packaging materials during a fresh enforcement operation at the Lagos Trade Fair Complex.
The agency made the latest discovery at the Tools and Hardware Complex within the sprawling commercial centre, which it has repeatedly scrutinized over suspected illegal activities involving regulated products.
NAFDAC announced the operation on Saturday in a post on its official X account, accompanied by video footage showing its officials inspecting a building where the materials were found.
“An enforcement operation has uncovered unlabelled and unregistered cosmetics and packaging materials at the Tools and Hardware Complex, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos,” the agency said.
Footage from the operation showed large quantities of cosmetic packaging materials stored across a two-storey building.
Items seen included empty tubes and other packaging materials intended for products such as creams and moisturisers, as well as containers holding already manufactured products.
NAFDAC did not disclose the quantity or estimated monetary value of the materials uncovered in the latest operation.
The development comes weeks after the agency raided another section of the Trade Fair Complex and uncovered a suspected operation involving the repackaging of fake and adulterated alcoholic drinks.
During the October operation at Zamfara Plaza, NAFDAC said its officials discovered unhygienic production rooms where suspects allegedly bought empty bottles of expensive wines, replaced their original labels with counterfeit ones and refilled them with adulterated drinks. Several suspects were arrested and affected shops sealed.
NAFDAC’s latest action also follows a major cosmetics seizure at the APT Trade Fair Complex in February.
At the time, the agency said it had discovered banned, fake and unregistered cosmetic products worth more than ₦3 billion in a warehouse concealed inside an unfinished building.
The recovered products included 728 cartons of Crusader soap, 718 cartons of E45 soap, and quantities of Extract Gold whitening soap, which NAFDAC said the Federal Government had banned.
Assorted perfumes, body oils and cooking oils were also found and placed on hold for further regulatory assessment.
The agency has repeatedly warned Nigerians against using banned or unregistered cosmetics, saying such products could cause skin damage and expose consumers to potentially harmful chemicals.
