By Joke Kujenya
NIGERIA’S NATIONAL Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) issued a safety alert on October 31, 2024, concerning a batch of NIVEA BLACK & WHITE Invisible Roll-on deodorant.
The agency assures Nigerian customers that the product in contention is not available or sold in the country, but locally available NIVEA products meet strict global safety standards.
Citing the European Union (EU) Rapid Alert System for Dangerous Non-Food Products (RAPEX), NAFDAC flagged batch number 93529610 (50 ml) due to the presence of 2-(4-tert-Butylbenzyl propionaldehyde (BMHCA), or LilialTM—a substance banned in the EU since March 1, 2022.
Moreover, Beiersdorf, the parent company of NIVEA, has clarified that this specific batch was never sold in Nigeria.
Long expires since January 2022, batch 93529610 complied with then-current EU regulations. Since 2020, Beiersdorf has proactively reformulated all NIVEA products globally to be Lilial-free, ensuring compliance with EU and Nigerian standards.
“Customer safety is paramount for us,” Beiersdorf stated, affirming that all NIVEA products currently sold in Nigeria are free of Lilial.
The company confirmed it works closely with NAFDAC to uphold product quality and safety standards.
To further safeguard consumers, Beiersdorf notified trade partners early, ensuring timely removal of outdated Lilial-containing products in markets where restrictions apply.
