Nigeria fake alcohol pandemic has taken a new turn, with those familiar with the country’s nightlife scene stating most of the counterfeiters drink only beer themselves due to the fact they know how dangerous most of the high ended alcoholic drinks being sold.
A nightclub executive in a recent interview stated “I learned a long time ago when I used to run nightclubs that most businessmen involved in the sale of alcohol don’t drink. They don’t drink your champagne, they don’t drink your Hennessy, only beer and I started asking questions.
“I thought it was maybe health reason, they don’t want, and I now found out no, that they’re afraid of fake products, because they know, they all go to China, they all bring these things in, they all have factories where they manufacture this thing. Until tomorrow, if you go for certain events you only see beer.
“I remember those days, you enter a nightclub, you see a big spender, he’s buying champagne and everything on his table, buying wine, Hennessy and everything, but he’s drinking a mug of beer.
“It started like that, we thought it was only in the club, now it is everywhere. I hear now that even baby food, according to the NAFDAC, baby formula, the juice that little children, all these toddlers and take to school, they are all adapted.
“They are all being reproduced in different quarters. Where are we going? Where are we going? And at the end of the day, the sellers (of fake products) gather the money, they come home during Christmas and spend lavishly.”
Nigeria’s Fake Product Pandemic
Recent alerts issued by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have documented cases involving counterfeit milk, falsified medicines, unregistered cosmetics and other products bearing labels and regulatory identifiers designed to make them appear legitimate.
In October 2026, NAFDAC uncovered a suspected counterfeit-drinks production facility at Zamfara Plaza, within the BBA Trade Fair Complex. Two suspects were arrested over the alleged revalidation of energy drinks and popular wine and whisky brands. Images from the operation showed stacks of Bullet energy-drink cans, empty alcoholic-beverage bottles, bottle caps, corks, seals, printed labels and other packaging materials.
The discovery illustrated how counterfeiters can exploit the packaging and presentation of established brands to make products appear authentic. Most club goers in Nigeria have also alluded to consuming overpriced fake drinks on nightouts with many dealing with mlutiple health challenges as a result.
