By Chioma Obinna
Following hovering prices of healthcare and drug shortages within the nation, hundreds of thousands of Nigerians are compelled to hunt different sources of buying medicine which are comparatively cheaper and reasonably priced.
Their desperation to search out treatment for his or her illnesses at reasonably priced prices has nevertheless made many fall victims of scammers on the social media who promise them a everlasting answer to the issues however they find yourself with worse conditions.
Nigerians determined for reasonably priced healthcare are actually playing with their lives as social media has changed into an unregulated pharmacy. Sufferers are going blind, struggling kidney failures, and even dying after taking counterfeit or unprescribed medicines bought on-line. Sadly, this new silent epidemic is unfolding—not in hospital wards, however via telephone screens and social media feeds. Medical issues are now not far; they’re delivered to the doorstep.
From Instagram tales to WhatsApp messages and Fb broadcasts, medicine are being marketed, bought, and delivered throughout Nigeria with just some clicks; no prescription, no prognosis, and no medical supervision. Drugs for illnesses corresponding to crimson eyes, ulcers, diabetes, hypertension, infertility, and prostate points are available on-line, usually promoted as fast fixes. In a rustic that parades an unenviable life expectancy between 54 and 64 years, which positioned it because the world’s shortest in 2025, what began as a comfort has quietly metamorphosed right into a nationwide well being hazard.
Cover unique message
At present, with a single faucet, customers are uncovered to a flood of healthcare product ads: from natural detox teas and anti-hypertensives to most cancers treatments, weight reduction capsules, arthritis cures, and ulcer remedies. These merchandise are aggressively promoted throughout Fb, Instagram, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and different digital platforms. Many depend on unverifiable testimonials and pseudo-scientific claims to realize traction, usually concentrating on determined or uninformed customers.
However public well being consultants and regulatory authorities are sounding the alarm. They warned that with out rapid intervention, this unregulated digital drug market may gas a full-scale well being disaster that Nigeria’s already fragile healthcare system will not be geared up to deal with.
Based on them, these medicines bought on-line are contributing to a surge in preventable issues corresponding to kidney and liver failure, sudden blindness, strokes, and even deaths.
However typically, the injury is completed quietly unseen till it turns into irreversible.
Findings by Saturday Vanguard present that the sale of unregulated healthcare merchandise on-line is now not only a rising pattern but in addition a ticking public well being time bomb. Pharmacists, docs, and regulators are elevating alarm bells, however enforcement stays weak within the face of a fast-growing digital drug bazaar.
The present improvement, in keeping with consultants, has escalated the prevalent apply of self-medication in Nigeria and the world at giant. And this poses important well being dangers and has far-reaching implications for public well being. Whereas figuring out the first drivers of self-medication in Nigeria as restricted entry to healthcare, insufficient healthcare companies, which have prompted people to depend on on-line medicines or house treatments, docs say, it could actually result in greater healthcare prices in the long term. They mentioned issues arising from self-treatment can necessitate extra in depth medical interventions.
Victims of on-line drug buy
Amaka
When Amaka, a 23-year-old pupil, observed her eyes turning crimson and watery, she did what a lot of her friends now do. She opened Instagram, looked for “greatest eye drops for crimson eyes,” and located a vendor who promised on the spot whitening, no prescription wanted. A bottle was delivered to her hostel door the identical night. At first, the drops labored like magic as her eyes cleared nearly immediately. However inside two weeks, her imaginative and prescient grew to become blurred, and he or she started shielding her eyes from gentle. At a Lagos eye clinic, docs found she had been utilizing a potent steroid drop that had dangerously raised her eye strain. “Another month and her sight may have been completely gone,” her ophthalmologist warned. “I believed I used to be saving money and time. I practically paid with my eyes,” she mentioned.
Victor Aham
Shifting from particular person expertise to a broader sample, Mr. Victor Aham shared an identical story: “I ordered two packets of this natural capsule of eye cleanser, however, sadly, my sight didn’t enhance. They’re simply ripping off Nigerians”, he mentioned with remorse
Chinyere Ogbue
Likewise, Chinyere Ogbue described a dearer deception: “I purchased two several types of eye care merchandise. One is like natural tea whereas the opposite is known as a chilly compressor. One prices N24,000. There’s additionally the one they name eye curler, and one other eye natural tea, N18,000 per pack. I used to be deceived that it will clear my eyes inside two weeks. Nothing occurred. Nobody offers a refund. I’ve gone again to my former prescriptions.”
These eye-related circumstances, nevertheless, are solely the tip of the iceberg. The issue extends to unregulated treatments for persistent situations like hypertension and diabetes. On-line sellers push pure capsules that promise to interchange pharmaceuticals corresponding to amlodipine or metformin, usually encouraging sufferers to discard their prescribed remedy.
Joana
There was a 52-year-old dealer, Joana, who collapsed at her stall in Balogun Market, Lagos, on twentieth March 2025. For weeks, she had trusted a natural combination purchased on Fb to treatment her hypertension. She deserted her prescribed remedy after being deceived that she could be cured in three weeks. Months later, her blood strain spiked dangerously, and he or she was rushed to the hospital with a stroke. Docs revealed that the concoction contained excessive ranges of caffeine and dangerous steroids.
Temitope
The hazards will not be restricted to cardiovascular well being. Temitope, a 34-year-old civil servant, ordered a detox tea closely promoted on Instagram by influencers to reduce weight rapidly. After weeks of use, she developed acute kidney damage, as exams revealed hidden diuretics and laxatives within the product.
Chinedu Ibe
Equally, 28-year-old fitness center fanatic Chinedu Ibe from Imo State relied on power boosters bought from a WhatsApp group. He suffered a hypertensive disaster and died earlier than reaching the hospital. An post-mortem revealed coronary heart issues linked to stimulants within the capsules.
Mama Biodun
Customers of those merchandise lower throughout all ages. In Ibadan, 60-year-old retired instructor Mama Biodun deserted her prescriptions for diabetes and hypertension after her daughter discovered a TikTok advert claiming a everlasting treatment. Weeks later, she was hospitalised with a hypertensive emergency and impaired kidney operate.
At present, these tragic circumstances have gotten alarmingly frequent. Saturday Vanguard findings present that each week, no less than 5 Nigerian sufferers collapse after consuming unregulated natural merchandise. Many of those treatments include steroids, caffeine, or diuretics, which might dangerously work together with prescribed medicines. Pharmacists warn that the absence of strict monitoring permits unlicensed distributors to thrive on-line. For Amaka, Victor, Chinyere, Joana, Chinedu, Temitope and Mama Biodun, the lure of fast cures introduced solely ache. Their tales spotlight a silent epidemic spreading via Fb, Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok, a market of hope and deception the place well being is simply too usually the value.
Medical consultants warn
Based on medical consultants, there is no such thing as a shortcut in managing persistent sicknesses. They warned that miracle cures are killers, urging Nigerians to stay to examined remedies and authorized prescriptions.
Within the view of a Microbiologist, Dr. Usman Yahaya Umar, the misuse of medication like antibiotics may result in one’s dying. Usman, who additionally serves because the HOD of the Division of Medical Microbiology at AKTH, in a report mentioned: “A affected person’s sickness might be worse in the event that they fail to conduct a correct take a look at earlier than going for remedy, patronising roadside medical distributors, and indulging in self-medication.”
For Usman, there’s a want for sufferers to conduct correct exams earlier than taking pharmaceuticals, together with antibiotics. The implications of abandoning structured care are critical. Based on cardiologists, they have been seeing sufferers arrive in essential situation as a result of they stopped their prescribed medicines. They insisted that persistent illnesses want structured, long-term care and never miracle cures.
The Medical Director of Optimum Most cancers Care Basis, Dr. Femi Olaleye, warned that utilizing unprescribed or unverified medicine can worsen illness, masks critical situations, or trigger irreversible injury to any a part of the physique. He mentioned as an example, many eye situations look comparable however require very completely different remedies. Some on-line merchandise might even include dangerous or contaminated substances.
“I’ve seen sufferers with corneal ulcers, extreme allergy symptoms, glaucoma issues, and even everlasting imaginative and prescient loss from counterfeit or wrongly used merchandise. Sadly, many solely search assist when the injury is superior. Purple eye, conjunctivitis, and dry eye are generally mismanaged via self-medication. Extra critical issues like glaucoma or keratitis could also be missed utterly, resulting in blindness if correct prognosis and remedy are delayed.”
He mentioned: “It is rather tough for sufferers to inform, as a result of counterfeiters copy packaging convincingly. The most secure strategy is to purchase solely from licensed pharmacies or acknowledged hospitals, and to test for correct NAFDAC registration numbers. When doubtful, seek the advice of an eye fixed specialist.”
Including her voice, the Chairperson, Nigerian Optometric Affiliation, Lagos Department, Dr Gloria Okoekhian-Ogulu confused that the hazards lengthen far past non permanent discomfort.
Based on her, “There are a number of dangers for sufferers who buy eye care merchandise with no prescription or session. Some eye situations current comparable signs however require completely different remedies. Buying a product with no prognosis will delay the correct remedy and typically result in irreparable imaginative and prescient loss.
“One other threat is publicity to faux, expired, and even banned eye drops, which can include dangerous chemical compounds that complicate the preliminary drawback. In apply, we see sufferers are available after utilizing on-line drops that both set off allergic reactions, injury the cornea, or worsen infections. Globally, there are stories of drug-resistant eye infections linked to contaminated on-line merchandise.”
Pharmacists increase an alarm
Former President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, Pharm. Olumide Akintayo, mentioned bypassing pharmacists makes sufferers dangerously susceptible. “Bypassing Pharmacists and Pharmacies in drug use makes you extraordinarily susceptible to drug-drug, drug-food, and drug-disease interactions, ADRs, side-effects, and different penalties which can trigger morbidity or outright mortality.
We’re nevertheless higher off when the FMOH inaugurates PCN to allow it to use full oversight obligations on Pharmacists and different entities it should register and license for apply. Compliance with the rules on on-line Pharmacy sequel to the registration of the net Pharmacy is vital”, he mentioned.
Equally, the Chief Govt Officer and Superintendent Pharmacist, Engraced Pharmacy, Jonah Okotie emphasised that medicines are poisons meant to be dealt with solely with skilled steering. He famous that, “Bypassing physicians and pharmacists for so-called ‘ogbongè’ merchandise on-line is nothing greater than taking a really excessive threat with one’s life at a click on. On-line drug gross sales are the long run, however ethics and professionalism should not be eroded.
Medicines are a nationwide safety concern—uncontrolled entry places everybody in danger, particularly youngsters, the outdated, and the weak.
“On-line is nothing greater than taking an opportunity, a really excessive threat with one’s life at a click on. On-line drug gross sales on their very own are the long run Pharmacy outlet. So, everybody ought to put together for it. Nonetheless, many nonetheless want to have face-to-face contact with their healthcare supplier. There have to be a wedding of each side.”
Docs name for pressing motion
For Lagos State Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Affiliation, NMA, Dr. Saheed Babajide, the state of affairs is each unethical and life-threatening. He mentioned, “No one has the correct to prescribe medicine or self-medicate. It’s unlawful for anyone to make false ads—whether or not in newspapers, on TV, or on social media. The implication is confusion in healthcare supply. Many Nigerians are utilizing faux, unregistered medicine that trigger extreme unwanted side effects and even dying.
“What we see daily is kidney failure, strokes, blindness, and even psychological sickness linked to misuse of those medicine. Anyone concerned must be prosecuted. Nigerians should additionally cease shopping for medicine via social media.” He added that: “We must always not commerce the well being of Nigerians for cash. Authorities should take motion. NAFDAC should get up. It’s not about raiding Idumota or Onitsha markets alone; they need to go after social media and media platforms selling these merchandise.”
Regulators’ response
Responding, the Director Normal of the Nationwide Company for Meals and Drug Administration and Management, NAFDAC, Prof. Christianah Adeyeye, acknowledged the rising problem. She revealed that NAFDAC has been monitoring on-line drug markets by deploying corps members and interns to trace gross sales on Instagram, Fb, Jiji, Jumia, and Konga. Experiences are submitted weekly, resulting in investigations, arrests, and shutdowns.
“The sale of unregistered or counterfeit eye drops and different healthcare merchandise on-line has turn into a rising concern in Nigeria,” Adeyeye mentioned. “We have now recognized and sanctioned a number of unregistered merchandise previously. Some offenders have been shut down, with fines starting from ¦ 200,000 for micro companies to ¦ 5 million for bigger ones. We closed a number of the services. We made an arrest and handed over the suspect to I&E for additional investigation and prosecution.”
Based on her, “know-how can also be being deployed. NAFDAC is working with Jumia and Konga on compliance frameworks, introducing the Scan2Verify system and the Inexperienced Guide to assist patrons affirm authenticity earlier than buy. Customers are inspired to confirm the authenticity of any eye care product by referencing the Inexperienced Guide, a NAFDAC-approved listing that lists registered merchandise,” she mentioned.
Regardless of these measures, Adeyeye admitted that the rise of small companies and private platforms complicates enforcement. However she maintained that NAFDAC was dedicated to enhancing monitoring techniques and intensifying sensitisation to guard Nigerians from counterfeit on-line merchandise.
“NAFDAC has performed a number of investigations into the net sale of medical merchandise, together with eye drops, medicine, and cosmetics. We have now recognized and sanctioned a number of unregistered merchandise previously. Just lately, the company’s efforts led to the invention of a shopper promoting unregistered cosmetics on-line. This intelligence was traced to a bodily facility, and the seller was arrested. The arrest led to the uncovering of further illicit actions in Abuja, prompting ongoing investigations,” she added.
Additionally talking, the previous Registrar of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, PCN, Dr. Elijah Mohamed, described the pattern as “unlucky and harmful.”
Based on him, “Nigerians are so engrossed in web actions, they now patronize all types of issues on-line. The implication is publicity to faux medicine, self-prescription, abuse, and misuse. Their well being will all the time be in danger.
“The PCN is presently placing insurance policies in place to control on-line distribution and gross sales. As soon as absolutely enforced, it would assist us checkmate unlawful involvement. In the meantime, Nigerians ought to focus solely on on-line pharmacies with a bodily presence in Nigeria—as a result of if something goes flawed, we are able to hint them. I encourage individuals to go to their physicians for prescriptions after which to pharmacies to get them crammed. That’s the solely manner well being will be correctly monitored and to make sure it’s secure. In any other case, self-medication will unfold with devastating penalties.”
The silent hazard
As Nigeria’s digital market continues to develop, the nation now faces a hidden well being disaster rising behind the glow of smartphone screens. For Amaka and others like her, the promise of fast fixes practically value them their sight—and even their lives. With out pressing motion, extra Nigerians might uncover too late {that a} easy click on will be lethal.
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