cbian

"Nigerian hospitals are recording a surge in cancer and kidney-related diseases affecting younger populations. The rates are staggering, and they demand a reckoning. Last month, 7 people I knew personally lost their lives to it. There are many more. Infact, according to World Health Organization, Nigeria records over 127,000 new cancer cases and roughly 80,000 deaths annually. That is 240 Nigerians dying every single day; about 10 every hour. For every 10 Nigerians diagnosed, roughly 6 will die, compared to just 3 in high income countries. The reasons for the figures are not far fetched. Come with me let me show you why. Across the world, the authenticity of food and medicine is guarded by regulatory systems that act as a shield. In Nigeria, that shield has collapsed. We have become a dumping ground for products that other countries have rejected. The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) warned that Nigerians are being systematically exposed to a deadly wave of counterfeit, adulterated, and toxic consumables, while regulatory agencies appear compromised. To understand the extent of this widespread, you have to look at the numbers coming out of regulatory operations. In January 2025 alone, NAFDAC uncovered and sealed over 240 makeshift factories in Aba's Cemetery Market. It was described as Africa's largest counterfeit wine and beverage cartel. They operated on full scale production lines using harmful chemicals, contaminated water, and recycled bottles to manufacture fake versions of popular brands, including Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, and Schweppes. The street value of the counterfeit products seized in 2023 alone was estimated at over 750 million. In December 2024, another operation confiscated fake products worth 5 billion. Maybe I’m going too far. Look at the bread we eat every morning. Potassium bromate, which is a known cancer causing agent, has been banned globally as a flour improver. Yet NAFDAC has repeatedly raided bakeries using it, seizing counterfeit bread improvers with fake registration numbers. Think about the palm oil we use for our soups. Adulterated versions laced with artificial dyes and harmful chemicals are now common. Fruits are a no-go-area. In markets across Nigeria, fruit sellers use calcium carbide to force fruits to ripen unnaturally. Carbides are not meant for human consumption, but they end up in our gut when we eat these fruits . The consequences are predictable. And for those already fighting cancer, the system offers little or no comfort. In 2026, NAFDAC raised an alarm over counterfeit cancer drugs circulating in Nigeria, including fake batches of Avastin and Tecentriq. Nigeria has less than 100 oncologists for a population of over 200 million. The country needs over 120 radiotherapy machines but has only 15, with some non-functional. When someone asks you why cancer is rampant in Nigeria, you will have a lot to give as an answer." Chukwuemeka Onyemachi