ADVERTISEMENT
  • Hausa Edition
  • Podcast
  • Conferences
  • LeVogue Magazine
  • Business News
  • Print Advert Rates
  • Online Advert Rates
  • Contact Us
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Leadership Newspapers
Read in Hausa
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
    • All
    • Athletics
    • Basketball
    • Boxing
    • Esports
    • Football
    • Olympics
    • Paralympics
    • Tennis

    Mbappé Scores Twice As Madrid Cruise To Winning Start In Champions League

    Martinelli, Trossard Hand Arsenal Perfect Champions League Start In Bilbao

    FCC Endorses NUGA To Strengthen National Unity

    American Tinch Wins World 110m Hurdles Gold In Tokyo

  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
    • All
    • Athletics
    • Basketball
    • Boxing
    • Esports
    • Football
    • Olympics
    • Paralympics
    • Tennis

    Mbappé Scores Twice As Madrid Cruise To Winning Start In Champions League

    Martinelli, Trossard Hand Arsenal Perfect Champions League Start In Bilbao

    FCC Endorses NUGA To Strengthen National Unity

    American Tinch Wins World 110m Hurdles Gold In Tokyo

  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Leadership Newspapers
No Result
View All Result

Skin Bleaching: Minister Highlights Health Risks, Calls For Urgent Action 

by Patience Ivie Ihejirika
8 months ago
in Health
Some creams sold for skin lightening can contain high levels of steroids

Some creams sold for skin lightening can contain high levels of steroids

Share on WhatsAppShare on FacebookShare on XTelegram

Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, has called for urgent action to tackle the alarming prevalence of skin bleaching in Nigeria and across Africa.

Advertisement

The minister made the call at the high-level segment of the Regional Awareness-Raising Workshop on the Elimination of Skin-Lightening Cosmetic Products Containing Mercury, held in Libreville, Gabon.
He highlighted the public health and societal implications of the widespread use of hazardous skin-lightening products.

Describing skin bleaching as a “public health problem requiring urgent action,” Dr Salako underscored its widespread prevalence, particularly among women, and the harmful health consequences associated with these products.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 77 per cent of Nigerian women use skin-lightening products, making the country the highest consumer globally.

Dr. Salako attributed this troubling statistic to societal pressures that link lighter skin tones to beauty, success, and social mobility.

Related News

651 Kidneys Worth $41bn Sold In Nigeria

7 hours ago

Odunsi Reaffirms Commitment To Elderly Care

23 hours ago

“The phenomenon of skin bleaching is deeply rooted in societal norms and colonial influences that promote lighter skin as a standard of beauty. While women are often the primary users, men also play a significant role in perpetuating this trend by exerting direct or indirect pressure on women to lighten their skin,” Dr. Salako said.

The minister noted that skin-lightening products often contain hazardous substances, including mercury, hydroquinone, and heavy metals like lead and arsenic, which pose significant health risks, including skin damage, organ toxicity, cancer, and psychological disturbances.

He cited studies indicating widespread awareness of these risks among users, particularly among university students, but said societal pressures and misconceptions about “toning” as a safer alternative continue to drive the practice.

Despite the ban on mercury-containing products in Nigeria, Dr. Salako acknowledged that smuggling, online sales, and weak enforcement remain significant challenges. He called for enhanced collaboration among African nations to address these issues and promote safer alternatives.

However, Dr. Salako noted that the federal government has taken steps to address the issue through public sensitisation campaigns, regulatory enforcement, and the development of safety policies.

According to him, key initiatives include the 2019 cosmetic products (prohibition of bleaching agents) regulations, which ban harmful substances like mercury and limit hydroquinone concentrations to 2 per cent.

Also, he said the government, through the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has been actively seizing and destroying unregistered and counterfeit products while conducting market surveillance to remove hazardous products from circulation.

Dr. Salako reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to protecting public health and promoting safe cosmetic practices through policy development, advocacy, and stricter regulatory enforcement. “Fairer is not better,” he said. “We must celebrate our diversity and redefine beauty standards to reflect our true identities.”

This workshop in Gabon, attended by representatives from across the African continent, marks a significant step forward in regional efforts to eliminate hazardous skin-lightening products and address the cultural and societal factors driving their use.

To bolster these efforts, Dr. Salako announced the impending launch of a National Policy on Cosmetics, which will set comprehensive safety standards for cosmetic products in Nigeria, adding that the government was also developing guidelines for cosmetic safety assessment to align with international standards.

The minister emphasised the need for a multidisciplinary approach to combat skin bleaching, involving dermatologists, behavioral psychologists, and community health specialists.

He urged African governments to revive cultural movements like “Black is Beautiful” to promote Afrocentric beauty standards and counteract the negative legacy of colonialism.

Join Our WhatsApp Channel

Tags: Iziaq Salako
SendShare10171Tweet6357Share

Other News Updates

Health

651 Kidneys Worth $41bn Sold In Nigeria

2025/09/16
Health

Odunsi Reaffirms Commitment To Elderly Care

2025/09/16
Health

Katsina Upgrades 206 PHCs To Fight Malnutrition

2025/09/16
Health

Japa: Akwa Ibom Declares 2 Absconded Medical Doctors Wanted

2025/09/16
Health

Yobe PHC Board Hosts 2025 Biannual Review To Strengthen Healthcare Delivery

2025/09/15
Health

Why We Suspended Strike – Resident Doctors

2025/09/15
Leadership Conference advertisement

LATEST

Zamfara Government Establishes Persons With Disabilities Board

RenewHER Targets 100m Nigerians In Women’s Health Drive

Work Has Begun On Collapsed Bridge In Niger, Governor Bago Affirms

Abuja Natives Condemn Reports On Activist’s Death

Court Upholds ICPC’s Investigative Powers Of Kano Scholarship Funds

Youth Service Corps Boss Urges Members To Promote National Unity

Shettima, FAO Rally Global Partners For Nigeria’s Agriculture Revolution

Dogara Calls For Transparency, Sustained Implementation Of Tax Reforms

1m Nigerians To Be Trained In Conflict Resolution

Amafibe Launches Educational Scholarship Project

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.