The Lagos State Government has taken a significant step towards strengthening the regulation of cosmetic products and procedures with the presentation of the National Policy on Cosmetics Safety and Health and its Implementation Plan. The policy was presented to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, during a stakeholder engagement meeting.
The meeting, which concluded a four-day engagement, highlighted the importance of regulating cosmetic products and procedures to protect citizens. Dr. Ogunyemi stressed that patient safety is a priority for the Lagos State Government, citing a recent cosmetic surgery-related death in Lagos that is currently under investigation.
The Director of Cosmetics Safety in the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Paul Okhakhu, explained that the policy was developed to address the increasing cases of adverse health effects associated with unsafe cosmetic products. He added that the policy will guide regulatory actions and support the development of state-specific action plans.
Lagos State has pledged to ensure effective implementation of the policy across the entire cosmetics value chain. The state will also set the pace for other states in implementing the policy. A national dashboard is being developed to track implementation progress across states.
The engagement brought together stakeholders from government agencies, regulatory bodies, academia, industry associations, and civil society organisations to develop a State Cosmetics Safety Action Plan aimed at protecting public health.
