Nigeria tagged ‘world capital of skin bleaching,’ Minister decries rising crisis

 PUNCH

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, on Wednesday decried the increasing use of skin-lightening products among Nigerians and Africans.

Salako said despite the well-documented harmful effects, the use of skin-bleaching products like creams, ointments, soap, pills and injections is common among non-white populations throughout the world.

Speaking at the high-level segment of the regional awareness-raising workshop on the elimination of lightening cosmetics products in Gabon, he stated that bleaching products is particularly widespread in Africa, especially among women.

In his speech made available to journalists in Abuja, Salako, however, stated that Nigeria is in the process of developing a National Policy on Cosmetics to provide a comprehensive framework for ensuring the safety and quality of cosmetic products.