Mercuric skin containing creams has been banned in the country by NAFDAC. However, these find their way into the country due to border porosity, weak regulation and not following through on policies. SRADev Nigeria,
under the aegis of the Zero Mercury Working Group (ZMWG) has consistently worked with all relevant stakeholders to strengthen capacity through studies, awareness creation and policy advocacy since 2015. In 2021, the concerns of the agency and e-commerce platforms promoting the sales of these skin lightening products (SLPs) products was discussed and there was the need to understudy the unscrupulous route of these.
The project undertaken by SRADev aims to strengthen the capacity of developing country governments and NGOs to better implement and enforce the provisions of the Minamata Convention. Moreover, it seeks to raise awareness, particularly on mercury as human right issues and its disproportionate impacts on women and children.
Meeting with NAFDAC Working/Planning Committee
This initiative is working towards the phase out of mercury- added products (MAPs), particularly skin-lightening products (SLPs), in Nigeria. Objectives include adopting a National Action Plan for MAP phase-out, pushing for comprehensive chemical laws, eliminating illegal high-mercury SLP manufacturing and trade, enhancing strategies against high-mercury SLPs, holding online platforms accountable, and raising awareness.
Achievements include setting sampling protocols, screening online platforms like Jumia, Konga, and Jiji, purchasing and reviewing cream samples, inventorying received samples, tracing illegal cosmetic distribution routes with a journalist, and sending samples for testing in Côte d’Ivoire.
SRADev also conducted monitoring exercises on the ”Terrible 80” products sold on online platforms such as Jumia, Jiji, and Konga.
| S/N | Names of products | Jumia.com.ng (2021) | Jiji.ng (2021) | Konga.com (2021) |
| 1 | Aneeza Gold Beauty Cream | – | March, may, July, September, Nov. | March, May, July, September, Nov |
| 2 | Best cream | – | May, July | – |
| 3 | Collagen plus Vit E | May, July, September, Nov | May, July, September, Nov | – |
| 4 | Dr. Japan, Nano cream | – | – | May, July, September, Nov |
| 5 | Garnier SkinActive Aclarante | May | May | March, May, |
| 6 | Goree Beauty Cream | May, July | March, May, July, September, Nov | May |
| 7 | Goree Day and Night Whitening Cream | March | March, May, July, September, Nov | – |
| 8 | Kim Whitening Pearl and Snow Lotus Cream | – | May, July, September | September |
| 9 | Kojie San | March, May, July, September, Nov | March, May, July, September, Nov | March, May, July, September, Nov |
| 10 | Mena cream | March, | March, May, July, September | March, May |
| 11 | Milk Cream | March, May, July, September, Nov | March, May, July, September, Nov | March, May, July, September, Nov |
| 12 | Palmers Skin Success Fade Milk | March, May, July, September, Nov | March, May, July, September, Nov | March, May, July, September, Nov |
| 13 | Parley Beauty Cream | – | May, July, September, Nov | – |
| 14 | Parley Goldie Pearl Shine | July, September, Nov | May, July, September, Nov | July, September, Nov |
| 15 | Pond’s Clarant B3 | March, May, July, Nov | March, May, July, September, Nov | March, May, July, September, Nov |
| 16 | Pond’s Rejuveness | March, May, July, September, Nov | – | March, May, July, September, Nov |
| 17 | Pop Popular Facial Cream Whitening Acne Pimple | May, July | – | May, July, September, Nov |
| 18 | RDL Whitening Treatment Night Cream 8 Days Treatment | May | May | May |
| 19 | Royal Expert Whitening Cream | May | May | May, July |
| 20 | Stillman’s Skin Bleach Cream | – | March, May, July, September | – |
| 21 | White Express cream | March, May, July, September | May, July, September | March, May, July |
Product names and months monitored on 3 online sale platforms
| Online Sale Platforms | March 2021 | May 2021 | July 2021 | September 2021 | November 2021 | Total |
| Jumia.com.ng | 7 creams | 12 creams | 10 creams | 7 creams | 7 creams | 43 |
| Konga.com | 9 creams | 14 creams | 15 creams | 10 creams | 9 creams | 57 |
| Jiji.ng | 11 creams | 20 creams | 18 creams | 14 creams | 10 creams | 73 |
Numerical findings of products on 3 online Platforms
As shown in the table above, Jiji had the highest numbers of products advertised every monitoring month. This was followed by Konga, while Jumia had the lowest. It was observed that the Jumia online sale platform limited some product adverts after receiving a letter to take down these skin lightening products.
These efforts are significant steps towards addressing the issue of mercury in Nigeria’s skin-lightening products.
Read the SLP Global Report
Watch the documentary on YouTube