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Avoid fakes

Where to buy genuine

Fake creams and cosmetics are common in Nigeria. Buying from the right place is the best protection. Nobody pays to be listed here, and we earn nothing from these links.

Before you pay

  • Check the pack for a NAFDAC registration number. NAFDAC officials have said any regulated product without one is considered fake, because its quality and safety cannot be vouched for.
  • Open markets carry real risk: NAFDAC has sealed cosmetics shops at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex for selling counterfeit/unregistered products, and seized over ₦500 million of fake cosmetics hidden in a Lagos military market.
  • Genuine-looking packaging is not proof: counterfeiters have been found refilling copies of well-known containers with fake creams and lotions. Check seals, print quality and batch details, and buy from the brand's official channel or an established pharmacy.
  • Check the manufacturing date, expiry date and batch number, and be wary of products that look repackaged or altered.
  • Be suspicious of prices far below the usual retail price; very cheap 'originals' are a common sign of fakes.

Pharmacy chains

Established chains with branches and online shops. Many also have a pharmacist you can ask.

  • HealthPlus Pharmacy

    Stores and online · About 60 stores

    Online pharmacy with nationwide delivery; Beauty & Grooming section covers skincare, makeup and hair care.

    healthplusnigeria.com

  • MedPlus Pharmacy (MedPlus Limited)

    Stores and online · Over 160 stores nationwide

    Retail pharmacy chain with online cart, mobile apps and prescription upload; covers health, lifestyle and beauty, and offers a 'Talk to Cosmetologist' option.

    medplusnig.com

  • Alpha Pharmacy & Stores

    Stores and online · Not named on the homepage

    Pharmacy and grocery retailer; nationwide delivery, online ordering and prescription upload. Skincare range not confirmed from the homepage.

    www.alphapharmacy.com.ng

Official brand stores

Stores run by the brand or its authorised distributor.

  • NIVEA (Beiersdorf)

    Nivea Official Store on Jumia Nigeria; brand site nivea.com.ng is information only

    nivea.com.ng is Beiersdorf's Nigerian site (Beiersdorf copyright) but names no retailers. The Jumia page is titled 'Nivea Official Store' and says products are 'sourced directly from the brand' (Jumia's statement).

    www.jumia.com.ng/mlp-nivea-store

  • Zaron

    Listed as an Official Store on Jumia Nigeria

    Named under Health & Beauty official-store brands on Jumia. Zaron's own website could not be opened (see unverified).

    www.jumia.com.ng/mlp-official-stores-all-brands

  • Dark & Lovely, Makari, Lush Hair, MaryAj, Shea Moisture, VLCC

    Listed as Official Stores on Jumia Nigeria

    Skin and hair brands named under 'Health & Beauty Brands' on Jumia's official-stores index. Inclusion is Jumia's listing; individual store pages were not opened.

    www.jumia.com.ng/mlp-official-stores-all-brands

  • Maybelline New York, Mizani, Dr Teal's, Unilever brands

    Listed as Official Stores on Jumia Nigeria

    Named under 'Health & Beauty Brands' on Jumia's Official Stores landing page.

    www.jumia.com.ng/mlp-official-stores

  • L'Oréal brands (CeraVe, La Roche-Posay, Garnier)

    KongaHealth reseller network (Konga)

    Konga's official corporate timeline states KongaHealth 'expanded its reseller network for L'Oreal's beauty products' including CeraVe, La Roche-Posay and Garnier. No L'Oréal Nigeria page confirming this was found. Konga's CeraVe brand page (konga.com/content/cerave) does not itself name an authorised seller.

    group.konga.com/timeline.html

Shopping on marketplaces

  • Jumia Nigeria - Official Stores

    Listings sold by a brand's official store carry the text label 'Official Store' beside the product/seller information; brand stores have their own pages (e.g. 'Nivea Official Store'). Jumia's FAQ says all products sold through official stores are '100% authentic'. Jumia's vendor standards say only brand owners or authorised distributors with documents (e.g. Letter of Authorization) qualify, and mixing non-authorised products in an Official Store account is not permitted. Items from ordinary marketplace sellers on the same site do not carry this label.

    www.jumia.com.ng/mlp-official-stores

  • Konga (KongaHealth)

    No official-store badge system was verified. Konga's corporate timeline names KongaHealth as a reseller for L'Oréal brands; the site footer links an 'Authentic Items Policy'. Prefer items sold by KongaHealth itself over third-party sellers.

    group.konga.com/timeline.html

Check it with NAFDAC

  • NAFDAC Greenbook (registered product database)

    NAFDAC's official database of registered products. Categories shown: drugs, vaccines and biologics, medical devices, veterinary, herbals and nutraceuticals, disinfectants. Cosmetics were not shown as a category on 2026-10-20, so it is most useful for medicated skin products (e.g. creams sold as drugs). Search by product name, active ingredient, NAFDAC Reg. No., applicant name or approval date; results show status. The site also links 'Report SF' (suspected falsified) and 'Report ADR'.

    greenbook.nafdac.gov.ng

  • Mobile Authentication Service (MAS) - scratch code SMS

    Scratch panel on the pack reveals a one-time PIN; texting it returns an SMS saying whether the product is genuine or suspected fake. NAFDAC states it covers anti-malarial and antibiotic medicines, not cosmetics. Scratch the panel and SMS the PIN toll-free to the short code for the provider printed on the pack: PharmaSecure 38351, Sproxil 38353, Savanté 38120, UBQ-t/Kezzler 20966, M-Pedigree 1393.

    nafdac.gov.ng/our-services/pharmacovigilance-post-market-surveillance/mobile-authentication-service-mas

  • Report substandard/falsified medicines (Med Safety)

    NAFDAC's online channel, linked under 'For Consumers', for reporting suspected substandard or falsified medicines. Open the link and submit a report.

    nafdac.medsafety.io

  • Complaints and enquiries (any regulated product, including cosmetics)

    Phone, email and web form for complaints, including suspected fake cosmetics. Complaints toll-free 0800-1-NAFDAC (0800-1-623322; +234 800 1 623322). Enquiries 0700-1-NAFDAC (0700-1-623322). Email reforms@nafdac.gov.ng (listed on the complaints page; the site footer shows reform@nafdac.gov.ng linked to nafdac@nafdac.gov.ng, so the published addresses are inconsistent). Online complaint form with file upload on the same page.

    nafdac.gov.ng/about-nafdac/contact-nafdac/complaints-and-enquiries

  • Recalls and safety alerts

    NAFDAC public alerts, recalls and counterfeit warnings, tagged by product type including 'Cosmetic' (e.g. Public Alert 029/2026 on a nail polish recall). Check the list for a product or brand name before buying.

    nafdac.gov.ng/category/recalls-and-alerts

  • Blacklist and watchlist of companies

    NAFDAC lists of companies that are blacklisted or under watch. Check whether a product's manufacturer or marketer appears.

    nafdac.gov.ng/blacklist-of-companies

More tips

  • Avoid fast-acting whitening or 'toning' creams: some contain mercury or excess hydroquinone, which can damage skin.
  • On marketplaces, choose listings labelled 'Official Store' or sold by the platform's own pharmacy arm, and check seller ratings and reviews for other sellers.
  • Check web addresses carefully. Look-alike sites exist: type the shop's address yourself rather than following links from ads or messages.
  • Tester hygiene: use a fresh disposable applicator or spatula, or ask staff for one; avoid applying shared testers straight to lips, eyes or broken skin.
  • If you suspect a fake, keep the product and receipt and report it to NAFDAC (toll-free 0800-1-623322 or the online complaints form). NAFDAC asks the public to 'say something if you see something'.

Check a product’s ingredientsMakeup guides

Checked on official pages on 2026-10-20. Listings are information, not endorsements; stock and policies change, so check before you buy. A listing as an “official store” is the marketplace’s own statement.