By Zainab Bakare
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians about the circulation of unregistered and suspected counterfeit toothpaste products falsely branded as Colgate.
In a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday, the agency said the alert followed a complaint received by its Post-Marketing Surveillance Directorate regarding the sale of the products in Kaduna State.
NAFDAC officials traced the complaint to a retail outlet, where two suspected counterfeit products labelled “Coglaet ActivGel 100g” and “Coglaet Herbal 100g” were discovered.
According to the agency, the shop owner claimed the items were purchased from a door-to-door sales representative but could not provide proof of purchase.
The agency warned that the products failed to meet regulatory standards for registration and quality assurance, posing potential health risks to consumers.
It added that the items lacked essential identification markers, including batch numbers and NAFDAC registration numbers, raising concerns about their authenticity and safety.
NAFDAC said the counterfeit products have been removed from circulation while investigations continue to identify and track those responsible for their distribution.
The products were reportedly labelled as manufactured by a Chinese company.
The agency has directed its zonal directors and state coordinators to intensify surveillance nationwide to prevent further distribution.
It also urged distributors, retailers, and consumers to verify the authenticity of products before purchase and to remain cautious of suspicious items.
