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Nigeria·Health·Technology

Nigeria's social media platforms fuel surge in unverified herbal remedies, doctors warn

Sunday, 31 May 2026, 06:06 · 1 min read

Health professionals in Nigeria are raising alarms over a growing wave of unverified herbal remedies promoted through platforms such as TikTok, Facebook and Instagram, where algorithm-driven content connects anonymous sellers and influencers directly with millions of consumers. Doctors and pharmacists say the trend is worsening health outcomes — including cases of kidney and liver damage — as patients delay seeking formal care, sometimes arriving at hospitals only when conditions have critically deteriorated. Nigeria's health regulator, NAFDAC (the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control), acknowledges the problem but says enforcement is difficult given the volume of online sellers using fake or incomplete addresses, while structural pressures including high medical costs and a shortage of health workers continue to push people toward cheaper, unverified alternatives.

Sources
Al Jazeera EnglishHow Nigeria’s ‘algorithmic apothecary’ fuels a surge in risky herbal cures ↗︎
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