NewStats: 3,262,151 , 8,176,243 topics. Date: Sunday, 01 June 2025 at 12:51 AM 2i469

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, on Wednesday decried the increasing use of skin-lightening products among Nigerians and Africans.

Salako said despite the well-documented harmful effects, the use of skin-bleaching products like creams, ointments, soap, pills and injections is common among non-white populations throughout the world.

Speaking at the high-level segment of the regional awareness-raising workshop on the elimination of lightening cosmetics products in Gabon, he stated that bleaching products is particularly widespread in Africa, especially among women.

In his speech made available to journalists in Abuja, Salako, however, stated that Nigeria is in the process of developing a National Policy on Cosmetics to provide a comprehensive framework for ensuring the safety and quality of cosmetic products.

“I must say that not only are men using SLPs, men also tend to put pressure on women directly or indirectly to lighten their skin, and therefore our campaigns must not exclude the menfolks.

“Nigeria may have been called ‘the world capital of skin bleaching’, or ‘the skin-lightening hothouse of the world,’ potentially due to its recognition as having the highest usage rates of SLPs across the globe put at 77 per cent among Nigerian women by WHO. This rate is the highest in the world, reinforcing the prevalence of a cultural and societal preference for lighter skin tones in the country.

“Skin-whitening products include skin-lightening or whiteners that are widely used among a wide range of demographic groups regardless of age, socio-economic status, or education level,” he said.

He highlighted that other studies and surveys confirm the high prevalence of skin bleaching culture in Nigeria.

“The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (through the Cosmetics Safety Management Programme) sampled the opinion of manufacturers and regulatory agents on skin lightening agent usage and found that 52 per cent of manufacturers use skin lightening agents in their formulation

“Nigeria Opinion Institute, a leading public opinion polling organisation in Nigeria, providing insights into public opinion and consumer markets found that 64 per cent of Nigerians believe skin bleaching is highly prevalent, with 97 per cent believing it is common among Nigerian women.

“Studies among university students found a prevalence of between 62.4 and 64.9 per cent. The awareness of skin bleaching is high at over 76 per cent with close to 40 per cent believing that it makes one look beautiful and fashionable. High prevalence was influenced by peer pressure and societal perceptions of beauty. There is also a prevalent practice of using toning ( as a replacement) for bleaching and believing wrongly that toning is not harmful or less harmful,” he emphasised.

The expert decried that many of the bleaching products contain harmful substances, such as mercury, hydroquinone, steroids and other heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and cium which pose risks of skin damage, organ toxicity and cancer.

He said the high prevalence of skin-whitening product usage in many parts of Africa, including Nigeria highlights the urgent need for targeted public health campaigns, stricter regulatory enforcement, and community-based advocacy to address the practice.

He noted that the Federal Government has been working to promote the use of safe cosmetic products free from hazardous substances.

“Recognising the pervasive use of unsafe cosmetics and the health risks they pose, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has taken proactive steps to educate the populace.

“Through its Cosmetics Safety Management Programme, the ministry has carried out sensitisation, training, and advocacy campaigns in the country including at the grassroots level. The approach is being designed to influence behavioural changes by addressing the root causes of skin-lightening product usage and promoting a healthier and more inclusive attitude.

“We have developed the Cosmetic Products (Prohibition of Bleaching Agents) Regulations 2019, which prohibit the use of harmful skin-bleaching agents like mercury and restrict the allowable concentration of hydroquinone to two per cent. The government through the National Agency for Food Drugs istration and Control ensures that all cosmetic products sold in Nigeria are ed, tested, and certified to meet safety standards.

“Uned and counterfeit products are actively seized and destroyed. Routine inspections and market surveillance activities are conducted to identify and remove hazardous products from circulation, as well as monitoring of online platforms to search for the presence of mercury-containing products.

“Community outreach programmes and media campaigns to educate the public on the risks of using unsafe cosmetics and the importance of ing product authenticity before purchase are conducted. The introduction of the MedSafety app is being used to ease the reporting of all forms of adverse reaction including adverse cosmetics events,” he said.

He added that a guideline on the safety assessment of cosmetic products is being developed to strengthen regulatory oversight and ensure that all products meet international safety standards.

https://punchng.com/nigeria-tagged-world-capital-of-skin-bleaching-minister-laments-growing-trend/

Infact the issue is no longer funny, you go out and see men and women with burnt faces and you begin to ask yourself what exactly is the benefit of the rubbish they're doing.

The funny thing again you see educated women patronizing some self acclaimed dermatologist " Organic cream makers " this are people that will just mix up some rubbish and add " hair relaxer " inside for them and after 3 days their skin start washing and they will happy they're now yellow.

This is a fact.
Almost every teenager you meet now in this country is bleaching. Online, You'll see many girls selling 'skin care products', Posh name for bleaching creams. CAROWHITE and its equivalents are the most sold creams in Nigeria today. Maybe it's inferiority complex, because I don't know why many blacks are not proud of their complexion.

No way... Minister u can't o.
It has entered NPL already

Amaka and Chinaza will not like this news.
The first time I visited Enugu and Anambra I thought bleaching creme was a hobby.
Yuck

Nlfpmod, face go be Fanta, leg dark coke.

Bobrisky don kukuma finish us

🤭

Damnnn niggar

I can understand if women are bleaching

But how can a niggar with balls be bleaching

MrFourSHIRTS:
Amaka and Chinaza will not like this news.
The first time I visited Enugu and Anambra I thought bleaching creme was a hobby.
Yuck

Real knowledge doesn't advance in this part of the world. That's why Black people will always remain underdogs in the scheme of things; Nigeria, the world's most populous black country, promotes stupidity more than anything else.

Nigerians are sick people!

All thanks to our lay-dis!.

(In the ghe ghe voice) But I spit on the face of those guys that bleach their skin

People that are bleaching are the worst set of people on earth. I can’t just understand how a human being with a functioning brain will take money out of his/her pocket to buy creams that bleaches skin - it’s one of the most ridiculous thing ever..

If I am a CEO, for me to employ people, testing of the skin to know if it has been bleached or not, would be among the requirements..

If I also become president tomorrow, I’ll ban bleaching creams and I’ll declare bleaching a punishable act..

The most funniest thing is that they usually smell due to those chemical they’re rubbing on their body. Imagine giving china and the west free money all cuz you want to bleach your God giving skin..

Oju Fanta, ese coke ( Fanta face, coke leg)

Only a lunatic with chronic inferiority complex would bleach his or her body.

Cheek go yellow, forehead go pink, nose go black.

Every other part burnt and stinking.. Disgusting pigs

It’s so alarming.

ALL THANKS TO YORUBA AND IGBO PEOPLE

YORUBA MEN AND IGBO MEN DEY DO BLEACHING COMPETITION

Lol. that's not true. India is actually the 'world capital of skin bleaching'.

MrFourSHIRTS:
Amaka and Chinaza will not like this news.
The first time I visited Enugu and Anambra I thought bleaching creme was a hobby.
Yuck

No be your people wey wan be like light-skinned Igbo girls de bleach their skin? No be una? Same way una de mine ..because you thought that was how Anambra billionaires made it. The most famous "bleacher" in Nigeria, Bob, where is he even from? You wan make I call name?

Is that Nigerias pressing problem now. That government is now functioning on palliative and salaries are being withheld. Should be your worries.

Ebonyi
Edo
Delta
Enugu states are the bleaching headquarters for men in Nigeria

True talk. Most Nigerians are Colorists. U will hear something like , Chai I don dey black oo. See as that guy black like charcoal. I been fair b4 oo , na sun make me black laidis. Thats why everyone wants to look lighter. Mostly the girls though

This Minister has not visited India before... Nigeria should be second in the world

Skin lightening abi bleaching is actually a menace.

Crazily, the contents of these creams contribute to kidney failure.

Modern one now are the skin lightening supplements.

yomi531:
True talk. Most Nigerians are Colorists. U will hear something like , Chai I don dey black oo. See as that guy black like charcoal. I been fair b4 oo , na sun make me black laidis. Thats why everyone wants to look lighter. Mostly the girls though

It is well…

yomi531:
True talk. Most Nigerians are Colorists. U will hear something like , Chai I don dey black oo. See as that guy black like charcoal. I been fair b4 oo , na sun make me black laidis. Thats why everyone wants to look lighter. Mostly the girls though

and they idolize fair skinned people even ugly ones

All thanks to koneheaded structures

No be lie.. Yoruba people from ibadan dey bleach enh

People who bleach are sure to be individuals with the highest lower self esteem!

When you see our so called female celebrities they will claim they are using organic soap drinking a lots of water meanwhile for their house na Caro white full am,black is beautiful black is beautiful but everybody wan yellow na only me dey maintain my dark skin

Pootle:


and they idolize fair skinned people even ugly ones

no be lie😅😅