NAFDAC clears locally-made Nivea deodorant of safety concerns

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has confirmed that the 50 ml Nivea BLACK&WHITE Invisible roll-on deodorant produced in Nigeria is free of harmful chemicals.

This assurance follows a comprehensive investigation into the product after an earlier alert prompted by the European Union’s (EU) rapid alert system for non-food product safety (RAPEX) flagged concerns.

On October 31, NAFDAC had warned Nigerians about a recall of the product by RAPEX, citing that certain batches contained 2-(4-tert-Butylbenzyl propionaldehyde) (BMHCA), also known as LilialTM.

This chemical, banned in the EU since March 2022, is prohibited due to its potential to impair reproductive health, harm unborn children, cause skin irritation, and result in skin burns.

However, in a recent update, NAFDAC announced that after thorough scrutiny, the Nigerian-manufactured variant of the Black and White Nivea deodorant does not contain BMHCA.

“A recent investigation shows that the Black and White Nivea Roll-on deodorant manufactured in Nigeria does not contain the non-compliant ingredient (BMHCA),” NAFDAC stated.

READ ALSO: NAFDAC issues safety alert on recalled Nivea black and white invisible roll-on deodorant

Beiersdorf, the German-based parent company of Nivea, acknowledged the EU’s recall, clarifying that the batch implicated (marked as ‘48H protection in African climate’ with batch number 93529610 and bar code 42299882) was produced in Germany and had expired in January 2022.

The company emphasized that this batch was compliant with European regulations at the time of its production and noted that it was never distributed in Nigeria.

Reinforcing its stance, Beiersdorf assured customers, “Batch No. 93529610 has not been marketed in Nigeria and has therefore never been recalled by Beiersdorf, the owner of the NIVEA brand, as the official manufacturer.”

The company highlighted that it proactively informed trade partners of the ban on Lilial and instructed them to phase out old stock within the permitted timeframe to comply with updated EU regulations.

NAFDAC’s findings and Beiersdorf’s statements bring clarity to concerned consumers in Nigeria, ensuring that locally-manufactured Nivea products remain safe for use.