They were told it would save their marriages or help them ace the perfect first date. Instead, many ended up drooling uncontrollably, battling migraines, or fighting for their lives in hospital wards.
Across West Africa, a quiet epidemic is spreading: the rise of unregulated sexual stimulants. From the streets of Abidjan in Ivory Coast to the markets of Lagos and Abuja, these products promise men sexual omnipotence but deliver devastating health risks.
According to a New York Times report titled, ‘Natural sex drugs are spreading health risks across West Africa,’ “ in Ivory Coast, the now notorious Attoté, a pink, bitter drink, has become a symbol of the crisis. Though banned by the government, the drink is still in demand.”
“I last so much longer,” bragged Bruno Siloué, a high school student seeking a bottle in Korhogo. Another user, construction worker Tenena Soro, described it as his go-to weapon “when I have a tough game ahead of me,” referring to a date.
But, public health authorities say the reality is grim. Laboratory tests revealed that Attoté contains eight times the recommended dose of sildenafil (Viagra), smuggled in bulk from India and mixed with local herbs. Doctors in Abidjan report seeing patients with prolonged erections leading to necrosis, irregular heartbeats, and life-threatening migraines.
“Sexual omnipotence is glorified,” said Dr. Mamadou Kamagaté, professor of pharmacology. “Popular beliefs have taken over scientific reasoning, and people ignore the side effects.”
Despite the risks, production resumed under a new name, Fêrêlaha, meaning “Take the shame off me.” Founder Djakalia Ouattara, popularly known as “Dr. Attoté,” insists the recipe is herbal and sacred, claiming divine duty to spread it worldwide. His son, Moussa Soro, dismissed criticism: “Even if we use sildenafil, if it cures people, why is it bad?”
Nigeria: Where the Trade Thrives in Plain Sight
The same story is playing out in Nigeria, only on a larger scale. On the streets of Lagos, Abuja, and Kano, bottles of “manpower” bitters and herbal capsules are sold openly by hawkers and advertised across Instagram and WhatsApp groups.
A study across four northwestern states, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, and Zamfara, revealed that 32% of herbal aphrodisiacs were secretly adulterated with sildenafil, exposing unsuspecting users to strokes and heart attacks. Nationwide, 64% of adults admitted to using traditional medicine for sexual enhancement at least once, with usage highest among men aged 21–30.
In southwestern Nigeria, researchers found that 79% of men between 20 and 35 years had tried enhancers. About 20% reported side effects, while 3.3% required hospitalisation.
Emergency doctors in Lagos echo their Ivorian counterparts. “We see men, sometimes in their 30s, rushed in with priapism erections lasting more than four hours. They’re embarrassed, but it can destroy their manhood permanently if untreated,” said one ER doctor at LASUTH.
Big Business, Bigger Risks
According to reports, Customs officials at Apapa Port intercepted 11 containers of unregistered sexual enhancers between January and April 2025, valued at ₦921 billion. Many were falsely declared as cosmetics. Hydra-sildenafil citrate tablets were found hidden in shipments from India and China.
National agency for foodNd drug administration control (NAFDAC) Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye has repeatedly warned, “Some of these substances are a shortcut to death.” She revealed that many contain not just Viagra but also marijuana, tobacco, and toxic industrial chemicals.
Yet the crackdown is undermined by Nigeria’s 2 million unregistered drug outlets and over 35 open drug markets, where counterfeit pills and fake “herbal” tonics flow freely.
The Human Toll
Doctors warned the toll is mounting. Migraines, stomach pain, uncontrolled drooling, prolonged erections, and cardiac arrests are increasingly linked to these stimulants. The World Health Organisation estimate that over 500,000 people die annually in sub-Saharan Africa from unsafe, unregulated medications—sexual enhancers among the most common culprits.
“Every man taking this complains about strong migraines. In the news, we hear about men suffering from heart attacks,” said Ivorian doctor Fadley Coulibaly. “And yet, there’s no awareness.”
The Crackdown and the Future
Regulators in both Nigeria and Ivory Coast insist they are stepping up the fight. “The crackdown will continue,” vowed Dr. Eloué Kroa of Ivory Coast’s traditional medicine agency. Nigerian authorities are seizing massive shipments, raiding local vendors, and urging citizens to verify drugs on NAFDAC’s online platform.
Still, the bottles keep selling, on Lagos streets, in Abidjan back alleys, and even on Amazon and Walmart under labels reading “100% natural.”
As long as masculinity is equated with sexual endurance, experts warned, the demand will persist. And until stronger regulation closes loopholes across West Africa, the dangerous chase for virility will keep flooding markets with death in a bottle.
