A Lagos-based bakery, Bon Bread, has filed a ₦50 million lawsuit against a TikTok content creator following a viral video that questioned the safety and shelf life of one of its products.
The controversy began when a user identified as “Love” (@lovedooshimaa) shared a video showing a loaf of bread she claimed had remained fresh for nearly two months without signs of spoilage. In the clip, she raised concerns about possible preservatives and questioned whether such a product was safe for consumption.
Although the creator did not explicitly name or display the brand in the original video, she revealed in a follow-up post that Bon Bread served her legal notice shortly after the content gained traction online. She maintained that she deliberately avoided identifying any company in her initial post.
In response, the company’s CEO, Maria Abdulkadir, defended the brand’s reputation, stating that the lawsuit was filed after attempts to resolve the issue privately were unsuccessful.
She rejected the claim that the bread could last for months, noting that the company’s products are freshly baked and typically have a short shelf life. Abdulkadir also argued that despite the absence of direct branding, social media users had linked the video to Bon Bread, resulting in reputational damage.
The incident has sparked widespread debate on social media, with some Nigerians calling for regulatory intervention by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to verify food safety standards and shelf-life claims.
Legal analysts remain divided, with some suggesting that proving defamation may be difficult without explicit identification, while others argue that indirect association through audience reactions could still establish liability.
As of April 18, regulators have not issued an official statement on the matter. The case is expected to proceed to court if both parties fail to reach an out-of-court settlement, highlighting growing tensions between digital content creators and brands in Nigeria’s evolving social media landscape.