A counterfeit product trend has taken over Nigeriaโs X space recently, and FIJ has found at least 40 fake consumer products mimicking popular brands so far.
The fake consumer products trend grew from strength to strength after Nigerians raised the alarm over fake alcoholic drinks and wine sold at nightclubs in the first week of December.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) reported how it intercepted counterfeiters producing fake beverages in Eziukwu Market (Cemetery Market) in Aba, Abia State, on Monday. The illicit goods of the counterfeiters had reached Nigerian markets long before NAFDAC made its move, which led to the shutdown of 240 makeshift factories.
FIJ highlights tens of these counterfeit products making headlines from the palms of social media users.
1. NOT AIR JORDAN
The billion-dollar-grossing Air Jordan brand of sneakers, made by Nike Incorporation, has some infamous counterfeits on the market. This one easily gives itself away by getting the famous Jordan logo wrong.
2. NICE COUSINS
Nice Cousins is a Four Cousins knockoff.
Four Cousins is a popular wine brand made by the Retief family of Van Loveren Family Vineyards in the Robertson Valley of South Africa’s Western Cape.
3. MY BROTHER’S
Just like Nice Cousins, My Brother’s copies the same branding the Four Cousins company uses.
4. RICH COUSINS
The Four Cousins company produces Whiskey under a different name, Scottish Cousin.
There is no natural sweet red wine named Rich Cousins from the actual company.
5. BIG BROTHER’S
The same brand has a counterfeit named Big Brother’s. There have been six different branding eras at Four Cousins since 2001. None of the rebranding processes included a total renaming of the brand itself.
6. OMEGA SPEEDMASTER
The Omega Speedmaster watch became one of the most iconic after a unit became the very first wristwatch to reach the moon. This brand has a rather pricey collection of timepieces.
The cheapest Omega Speedmaster watch is about $2,600 (N3,120,000), but a copy of the same brand has been going for N17,000 in Lagos markets.
7. VESALINA
8. OPEN UP
The more obvious CloseUp counterfeit made its way into the hands of a consumer on X.
9. CARLO ROSSI
Counterfeit Carlo Rossi wine has been on the Nigerian market for years. The fake bottles of Carlo Rossi wine made it to a party in 2017.
A reference to the original bottles can be found on the Carlo Rossi website.
10. SLIPER AND SMIPPER
FIJ saw at least two counterfeits of the popular Sniper insecticide.
Both Sliper and Smipper take on similar looks to the original product.
11. FAKE BAMA MAYONNAISE
FIJ saw another mayonnaise brand disguised as the better-known Bama mayonnaise.
The counterfeiters covered the other brand with a Bama mayonnaise wrapper. A consumer discovered the coverup after peeling the wrapper on the mayonnaise bottle.
12. HOMEMADE MILO
There is a video that shows two young men sealing chocolate powder into Milo Food Drink packets circulating on X.
13. OROMA CORD
Oraimo USB cables have some of the most widespread counterfeit products in Nigerian markets.
Many shops sell Oroma in place of Oraimo, just like it is another brand. However, Oroma uses the same colour themes and packaging as Oraimo.
14. MARTELL
FIJ confirmed that the bottle of Martell Cordon Bleu a consumer shared on X is different from what the original company has.
15. AMOYI SOY SAUCE
Amoy Soy Sauce is an original brand from the United Kingdom with numerous cheap substitutes in Nigerian markets.
One of such counterfeits is the Amoyi Soy Sauce. FIJ saw nine other counterfeits of the real deal.
READ ALSO: Japata Bitters, a Nigerian Alcoholic Drink, Kills Mice at Testing
16. AMOYs SOY SAUCE
17. ANMOY SOY SAUCE
18. AMMOY SOY SAUCE
19. AMUY SOY SAUCE
20. AMQY
21. AMOUR
22. AMOII
23. AMQT
24. AMOY’C
READ ALSO: NAFDAC Explains Why Nagiko Tomatoโs Registration Is Absent From Its Database
25. POPSI INSTEAD OF PEPSI
A random consumer was already done with their ‘Pepsi’ when they realised it was a counterfeit called Popsi.
26. DAVE BEAUTY
Dove has been replaced with Dave Beauty Cream Bar in some shops.
27. SMIRNOFF ICE
FIJ checked and found that the Smirnoff Ice Double Black bottle packages officially available from the company did not match what was served Dajay, who complained on X.
28. EVRA NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINK
Evra has replaced Eva Non-Alcoholic Drink in some shops.
29. SNIPERS CHOCOLATE BARS
FIJ saw a chocolate bar imitating the popular Snickers brand.
30. FAKE HENNESSY
31. DISCOLOURING COCA-COLA INSIDE PET BOTTLES
32. CERMAX INSTEAD OF CARMEX
Carmex Lip Balm has been reproduced as Cermax Lip Balm by counterfeiters. Both products sport the same branding.
33. HEIMEKEM LAGER BEER
FIJ saw a Heineken Lager Beer counterfeit badly misspelt as Heimekem.
READ ALSO: REVEALED: No Evidence of Eriscoโs Nagiko Tomato Approval on NAFDACโs Website
34. ANDREW INSTEAD OF ANDRE
35. SMOKING WITH COUNTERFEIT ROLLING PAPERS
Raw is the name of the product mimicked here.
36. FAKE ENGINE OIL
37. BAD PEAK MILK
38. BOTTLED WATER FROM A TAP
39. FAKE CROCS
40. TOYODA INSTEAD OF TOYOTA
The automobile maker writes on its website:“Toyota Motor Corporation was founded by the Toyoda family. The word “Toyoda” uses ten Japanese strokes to write while “Toyota” uses only eight.”
“Eight is considered a lucky number in Japanese culture. For these reasons “Toyota” was chosen as the company’s name.”
‘Toyoda’ did not come from the company. This car accessory is counterfeit.
41. FAKE TELEVISION
A buyer went to the market and bought a SMASNUG instead of a Samsung TV set.
NAFDAC said that its recent raid of counterfeiting factories in Abia State occurred after the agency got a tipoff.
The agency is currently facing backlash for its perceived laxity with regard to clamping down on fake consumer products in Nigeria.
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