By Kingsley Samuel
The Lagos State Government has begun moves to domesticate Nigeria’s National Policy on Cosmetics Safety and Health as part of efforts to strengthen oversight of cosmetic products and procedures and protect patients from health risks linked to unsafe cosmetic practices.
The policy and its implementation framework were formally presented to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Kemi Ogunyemi, during the Exit Meeting of the Lagos State Engagement on the National Policy on Cosmetics Safety and Health held at the Lagos State Ministry of Health.
The engagement marked the conclusion of a four-day stakeholder consultation which began on March 10 at Sojourner Hotel in GRA, Ikeja, bringing together regulators, healthcare professionals, cosmetic practitioners and industry stakeholders to develop a roadmap for safer cosmetic products and procedures in the state.
Speaking at the meeting, Ogunyemi said the engagement came at a critical time as authorities investigate a recent cosmetic surgery-related death in Lagos.
According to her, the case is currently being examined by the Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency to determine the circumstances surrounding the procedure, including the drugs used and their sources.
“This engagement could not have come at a better time. Only this week, we had an unfortunate incident where a well-known lady died in Lagos following cosmetic surgery,” she said.
She stressed that patient safety remains a top priority for the Lagos State Government and noted that stricter regulation of cosmetic products, procedures and facilities is necessary to prevent avoidable complications.
“When even one person dies, it means something has gone wrong, and we certainly do not want such incidents to happen again,” Ogunyemi added.
She assured stakeholders that the state would work closely with regulators and industry players to ensure effective implementation of the policy across the entire cosmetics value chain, including manufacturers, suppliers, training institutions and healthcare facilities.
Director of Cosmetics Safety in the Food and Drug Services Department of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Paul Okhakhu, said the policy was developed in response to rising cases of adverse health effects linked to unsafe cosmetic products.
“We have been seeing cases of people experiencing adverse events as a result of the use of adulterated, wrongly formulated, or substandard cosmetic products, and because of this the government decided to take the matter seriously,” Okhakhu said.
He explained that the policy, which was validated in Lagos and later launched at the 66th National Council on Health in Calabar, provides a framework to guide regulatory action and support states in developing tailored implementation plans.
Okhakhu also disclosed that the Federal Government is developing a national dashboard to monitor implementation progress across states, noting that Lagos was selected for early engagement because of its strategic role as Nigeria’s commercial hub.
“If we are able to get it right in Lagos, we believe we can get it right in other states,” he said.
In her closing remarks, the Director of Pharmaceutical Services at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Olawale Poluyi, described the engagement as a key milestone in the implementation of the policy in the state.
“Every journey begins with a step, and today marks an important step in the implementation of this policy,” she said, adding that the ministry would ensure that resolutions reached during the engagement translate into concrete actions.
The four-day engagement brought together 49 participants from federal and state government agencies, regulatory bodies, academia, industry associations, cosmetology practitioners, civil society organisations and the media to assess Lagos’ cosmetics safety landscape and develop a State Cosmetics Safety Action Plan aimed at strengthening consumer protection and public health.
Stakeholders said the initiative could also help address the growing demand for aesthetic procedures and cosmetic products in Nigeria, while ensuring that safety standards keep pace with the expanding industry.
