Nollywood actress Ruth Kadiri has raised a strong public alarm over the widespread circulation of fake, poorly made and contaminated products in Nigeria, warning that they endanger the health and lives of ordinary citizens.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Kadiri expressed deep concern that many Nigerians purchase everyday items believing them to be safe, only to later discover they are substandard, adulterated or completely counterfeit. She noted that the problem cuts across food items and medicines, exposing consumers — including children — to serious health risks such as organ failure.
The actress shared a personal experience that heightened her worry: after buying garlic, blending it and briefly leaving the mixture, she returned to find it had turned an unnatural green colour. The incident, she said, left her more troubled about the quality of products sold across the country.
“Dear Nigerians, I’m speaking to you today with a heavy heart and deep concern about the circulation of fake products in our country,” Kadiri wrote. “Every day, we buy different products believing they are safe, but sadly, some are poorly produced, contaminated, harmful and mostly fake. This is a threat to human life.
“A sick person goes to the pharmacy to get medication, hoping to get better, but gets worse. Imagine little children battling kidney failure due to fake product… It’s not just a buying problem, it is a we problem. Most of these products are produced in our country by our people, destroying the lives and health of our people, regardless of what they have to lose as long as they make money.”
She called on citizens living near production sites of suspected fake goods to speak out, stressing that silence could cost lives. Kadiri specifically appealed to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to intensify efforts to protect Nigerians.
“You might be saving a child from kidney and heart failure or a family from losing the life of their benefactor. Never say it can never be you. NAFDAC, please pay attention to the lives of Nigerians,” she concluded.
