Nollywood actress Ruth Kadiri has raised concerns over the circulation of fake and harmful products in Nigeria, calling on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to pay closer attention to the issue and act to protect public health.
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Kadiri shared her concerns in a video message to Nigerians posted on her Instagram page, warning that poorly produced and contaminated products on the market could pose serious health risks. The remarks were reported by GistReel.
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The actress said consumers often buy products believing they are safe, only to later discover they were poorly made, contaminated, or outright counterfeit, describing the situation as a threat to human life. She cited her own experience of buying garlic that reportedly changed colour after being blended, using it as an example of how easily fake or compromised products can pass unnoticed in everyday purchases. She also raised concern about reports of children suffering kidney failure allegedly linked to fake products, pointing to this as evidence of the scale of harm such goods can cause.
Kadiri framed the issue as a shared national problem rather than one limited to individual consumers, arguing that many of these products are manufactured domestically by Nigerians willing to risk others’ health and lives for profit. She urged Nigerians to speak up whenever they notice fake or substandard products being produced or sold within their communities, stressing that tackling the problem requires collective vigilance rather than relying solely on regulators. She further appealed directly to NAFDAC to intensify its efforts to protect the health and lives of Nigerians, while cautioning the public that anyone could become a victim of the problem regardless of precaution.
Kadiri’s comments reflect her personal concern and anecdotal experience rather than data or an official NAFDAC assessment of the scale of counterfeit products currently in circulation, and the claim about children suffering kidney failure was referenced without independent verification or citation of a specific case or study. Her remarks were delivered informally on social media rather than through a formal complaint or petition to the regulator. As public concern over counterfeit goods continues to surface periodically in Nigeria, similar appeals from public figures calling for stronger regulatory action are likely to keep emerging.
Source: GistReel.
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