Despite mounting warnings from medical experts and rising reports of sudden deaths, unregulated sex-enhancing drugs like Hydra-Sildenafil Citrate, Dragon Power, and other so-called “manpower” pills continue to flood Nigerian markets and online platforms.
A growing number of Nigerian men are turning to unregulated sex-enhancing drugs, popularly known as “manpower” to boost sexual performance, but medical experts warn the habit is triggering a silent public health crisis that could prove deadly.
Across Nigeria, reports of sudden and often embarrassing deaths linked to the misuse of sex stimulants have become alarmingly common.
In Abuja, a bustling commercial hub, a middle-aged businessman ( names withheld) was found lifeless in his hotel room after reportedly overdosing on an unregulated “manpower” pill. Friends who visited said he had boasted earlier about his “enhanced performance,” but hours later, the pursuit of pleasure turned fatal. Such incidents have not only shocked families but also drawn uncomfortable attention to a subject often shrouded in silence and stigma.
In the oil rich city of Port Harcourt, an aged man, said to be a lecturer, was said to have collapsed and died during a marathon sex in a hotel after taking a potent herbal aphrodisiac bought from a local market. The sudden death cast a dark shadow over the joyous event, leaving relatives and guests stunned and whispering about the dangers of self-medication in matters of sexual health. Authorities confirmed that the stimulant contained dangerously high levels of sildenafil, a drug normally prescribed under strict medical supervision.
Similarly, in the southeastern town of Enugu, another university lecturer ( names withheld) was said to have suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after consuming an unregistered sex enhancement capsule. The incident sparked conversations on campus about the pressure to perform and the risks many young men take in silence.
With this daily drama , families now mourn in private, while doctors continue to warn of the lethal consequences of ignoring medical advice in favor of quick fixes sold on the streets and online.
Much of the alarming insight into the rise of unregulated sexual stimulants across West Africa stems from a detailed investigation by “The New York Times, titled “Natural sex drugs are spreading health risks across West Africa.”
The report sheds light on the dangerous ingredients found in widely used products like Attoté, the growing health consequences among users, and the cultural pressures driving demand. It offers a rare glimpse into the shadowy industry profiting off unverified aphrodisiacs and underscores the urgent need for regulation and public awareness
Countless incidents have occurred in Abuja, the nation’s capital, ugly and tragic episodes that have left wives in shame, children disgraced, and colleagues and associates speechless.
In upscale hotels, private guest houses, and even official residences, men have collapsed during sexual activity after consuming unregulated sex-enhancing drugs. In many of these cases, the victims were prominent individuals, yrs, civil servants, politicians, and businessmen, whose sudden deaths have not only shattered families but also triggered quiet cover-ups to avoid public embarrassment.
Medical personnel and first responders in the city say such cases are far more frequent than the public knows, with many never making it into official records due to the stigma and silence that surround them
Marketed with bold claims and glossy packaging, many of these products are laced with dangerously high doses of sildenafil , the active ingredient in Viagra often without proper labeling or regulation. The result: a growing trail of grieving families, overburdened doctors, and a nation silently watching as desire turns deadly.
LEADERSHIP Sunday reports that as the demand surges, so do the risks, but the warnings fall on deaf ears. This is a story of desire, deception, and the deadly cost of chasing pleasure without caution.
Experts warn that while sexual dysfunction is a natural challenge many men face at some point, the growing reliance on unregulated aphrodisiacs is creating a silent public health crisis.
Former chairman of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), FCT chapter, Pharm. Kilani Jelili, said the misuse of stimulants has become a disturbing trend, worsened by aggressive online advertisements promising prolonged performance and “natural” remedies.
Also, Pharm. Jelili, who is also a
deputy director at the National Hospital Abuja, told LEADERSHIP Sunday that the problem is not the existence of sexual dysfunction, but rather that many men, instead of seeking medical help, resort to unregulated enhancers, some adulterated with powerful drugs like Viagra at dangerously high doses.
According to him, such substances carry devastating risks, ranging from kidney failure, vision and hearing loss, stroke, and cardiac arrest to a condition known as priapism, prolonged erections lasting hours that can eventually cause permanent impotence.
“The major thing is that there are medical ways of addressing this, and there are drugs specifically manufactured for it. The issue lies in dosage. Medically, we usually start with the lowest dose and adjust it up or down based on the patient’s response.
“However, we have discovered that people resort to various substances and methods that are not orthodox. Unorthodox methods are not regulated, so we cannot know what reactions they may trigger,” he explained.
LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that a study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) between 2007 and 2014 found over 500 sex supplements adulterated with prescription-strength chemicals, often undisclosed on the labels.
Nigeria’s regulators face similar challenges, as these products are sold freely in markets, buses, and online platforms.
The Nigeria Customs Service recently disclosed that its officials intercepted 11 containers of contraband goods between January and April 2025. Among these were large quantities of unregistered sexual enhancement drugs, such as 1,001 cartons of hydra-sildenafil citrate tablets falsely declared as cosmetics.
A study published in the Saudi Journal of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences found that 32 per cent of herbal aphrodisiacs sampled across four northwestern Nigerian states; Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, and Zamfara, were adulterated with sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra), with concentrations ranging from 0.45 to 39.8 mg per dose.
An obstetrician and gynecologist, Dr. Kudus Lawal, linked the trend to social pressures and misinformation.
He told LEADERSHIP Sunday that sex is meant to be pleasurable, something couples enjoy, but many men feel the need to prove their strength. Misinformation, such as the belief that sex must last 30 minutes to be satisfying, pushes men toward risky stimulants. “In truth, the average duration of intercourse is under five minutes,” he noted.
Dr. Lawal stressed that underlying health conditions like diabetes or psychological stress are often behind erectile dysfunction, making self-medication dangerous.
“Yes, there are times when sexual function is affected, what we call sexual dysfunction in which a person may require some form of aid or assistance to have satisfying sex.
“But the decision on what drug to use and how to use it usually requires medical evaluation. Sexual dysfunction often has underlying causes, some of which are critical to health beyond sex itself.
“Diabetes can cause sexual dysfunction. So if a man takes drugs to treat the dysfunction but ignores the underlying diabetes, the diabetes might take his life before he can enjoy the sex he desires.
“So, usually, if a man experiences dysfunction in achieving the level of erection or sexual satisfaction he desires, the best thing is to approach a medical professional, preferably a urologist, who is a specialist in this, to determine the cause of the dysfunction,” he explained.
LEADERSHIP Sunday recalls that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) had cautioned Nigerians against the use of performance-enhancing substances, warning that their consumption could trigger stroke, organ damage, or sudden death.
The Director-general of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, raised concern over the increasing misuse of such drugs, many of which, she said, are smuggled into the country without regulatory approval.
Adeyeye stressed that most sex-enhancing products circulating in the market are not registered with NAFDAC, yet are aggressively marketed with false claims of being safe and free of side effects.
“When you have a disproportionate flow of blood to a particular part of the body, lasting longer than normal, it disrupts the normal circulatory system. These drugs can interact with other medicines, damage the liver and kidneys, and ultimately lead to untimely death,” she warned.
The DG noted that individuals with underlying conditions such as hypertension and heart disease face even higher risks. According to her, these stimulants can trigger anxiety and dangerous physiological changes, which may result in stroke or sudden cardiac arrest.
Adeyeye lamented that many Nigerian men have died after using performance-enhancing drugs during sexual activity, with relatives often attributing such sudden deaths to witchcraft.
She described as misleading the claims by producers that the products have no side effects, insisting that every drug is a potential poison.
“There are many side effects. In some cases, adverse drug reactions can lead to death or serious organ damage, depending on usage,” she added.
She therefore urged the public to resist the temptation of patronising unapproved sex stimulants, noting that no fleeting moment of pleasure is worth the risk of permanent organ damage or sudden death.
According to her, the safest path remains seeking medical advice from qualified professionals rather than falling prey to dangerous products disguised as quick fixes.
Some emergency workers and healthcare professionals in Abuja who pleaded not to be named for fear of being marginalised confided in our correspondent, that the trend is both disturbing and heartbreaking. According to staff at the National Hospital and several private clinics, “men are frequently rushed in after collapsing during intercourse, often after ingesting unknown sex-enhancing substances.
We see these cases more often than people imagine,” a senior nurse at a private hospital in Wuse two who only gave her name as Matron Idris revealed.
“Most of them arrive too late, and many don’t survive. It’s painful, especially when you realide these deaths were entirely preventable.” Doctors say victims typically show signs of cardiac arrest, stroke, or severe drug interactions, which are clear indicators of stimulant abuse.
Yet despite repeated warnings, the cycle continues, fueled by silence, shame, and dangerous misinformation.
The truth is, sex-enhancing stimulants that are laced with lies and poisonous substances pose a serious threat to public health and personal well-being.
The illusion of quick results masks the real dangers, making it essential to reject these unsafe shortcuts in favour of medically-approved treatments and healthy lifestyle choices. Awareness and caution are key to protecting oneself from the hidden perils behind these fraudulent and toxic substances.
