Lagos Warns Consumers As Expired Products With Falsified Dates Resurface in Markets
The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency has raised an urgent alarm over the alleged reintroduction of expired and near-expired products into the market with falsified production and expiry dates, warning that devices and chemicals used to erase and reprint product dates are reportedly being circulated online, and urging residents to exercise caution when purchasing consumer goods as the practice could expose unsuspecting buyers to unsafe and potentially harmful products.
The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) has warned residents against buying expired and near-expired products allegedly being reintroduced into the market with falsified production and expiry dates, raising the alarm over the reported circulation of devices and chemicals used to erase and reprint product dates, warning that the practice could expose unsuspecting consumers to unsafe and potentially harmful products. LASCOPA General Manager/CEO, Afolabi Solebo, said consumer safety remained non-negotiable, stressing that the alteration of expiry dates violated the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency Law, 2025, as amended, and according to Solebo, LASCOPA enforcement teams have carried out inspections across all 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas in the state, uncovering suspicious date coding, damaged packaging and other questionable products.
Between January and June 2026, LASCOPA’s Monitoring and Enforcement Department inspected 663 stores and supermarkets, while 238 outlets were found to have violated provisions of the Lagos State Consumer Protection Law, with the inspections covering supermarkets, grocery stores, pharmacies, markets, shopping malls, and other retail outlets across the state. Solebo warned that businesses found engaging in the practice would face appropriate sanctions, including seizure of products, closure of premises and prosecution in line with the law, stating firmly that consumer safety is non-negotiable and that expired products are being reintroduced into the markets with falsified dates, in violation of the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency Law, 2025, as amended, which poses significant public health risks.
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The alert comes amid intensified enforcement efforts by regulatory agencies, as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) recently uncovered a warehouse stocked with banned, fake and unregistered cosmetic products valued at more than ₦3 billion at the APT Trade Fair Complex in Lagos, while also issuing alerts on counterfeit oncology medicines, including Herceptin 600 mg, circulating with fake batch numbers and expiry dates, with the counterfeit product reportedly offered to a customer by a pharmacist in Lagos at a significantly lower price of ₦50,000 compared to the standard rate. Additionally, the Lagos State Police Command recently arrested two suspects for allegedly trafficking adulterated and counterfeit pharmaceutical products, recovering about 300 cartons of suspected adulterated Omeprazole, six bags containing counterfeit Viagra, Ampiclox, Septrin, and Piriton, and more than 300 empty printed packs used for repackaging, with the suspects, who had allegedly been involved in the illicit trade for about two years, handed over to NAFDAC for further investigation and prosecution.
LASCOPA urged consumers to carefully examine product labels before making purchases, particularly looking out for smudged or altered dates, damaged packaging and other inconsistencies, while also advising residents to patronise trusted vendors and retain receipts as evidence of purchase in case of complaints. Solebo called on manufacturers to adopt clear and standardised labelling systems for batch numbers and expiry dates to prevent manipulation and protect consumers, describing consumer safety as a shared responsibility and reaffirming the agency’s commitment to sustained monitoring and enforcement operations across Lagos.
LASCOPA urged residents to report suspicious products through its official channels, including phone numbers 08124993895 and 09153894878, or via email at lasgcopa@gmail.com, while reports can also be made through the agency’s official social media platforms or its office in Ikeja, as the agency continues its crackdown on the dangerous practice of falsifying product expiry dates.