Follow Us on Google Discover
In a significant step towards protecting consumers, strengthening legitimate trade, and safeguarding Nigeria’s economy, Unilever Nigeria Plc recently entered into a strategic partnership with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The partnership establishes a structured framework for collaboration aimed at tackling counterfeit and illicit trade, improving supply chain visibility, and ensuring that only authentic and verified products reach consumers across Nigeria.
Counterfeit products continue to pose serious risks to public health, undermine consumer confidence, distort competition, and erode government revenue. Every Nigerian consumer deserves to know that the products they buy are safe, genuine and of the quality they expect.
Also Read
The challenge is particularly significant in the beauty and personal care category, where counterfeit products can expose consumers to unsafe ingredients, compromise their wellbeing, and erode confidence in legitimate brands investing responsibly in Nigeria.
Beyond the scale of the problem, the greater concern is the impact on long-term trust in brands, products, and the broader market system. Addressing counterfeiting is therefore critical not only for consumer protection but also for sustaining confidence in legitimate trade and investment.
Through this collaboration, Unilever Nigeria and the Nigeria Customs Service will work together on intelligence sharing, capacity building, product authentication, inspections, and other initiatives designed to strengthen enforcement and protect legitimate businesses.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Managing Director, Unilever Nigeria Plc, Tobi Adeniyi, described the partnership as a critical milestone in the fight against counterfeits.
“Counterfeiting poses a significant threat to public health, businesses, and the broader economy. It undermines consumer trust and creates an uneven playing field for legitimate businesses. This partnership reflects our commitment to protecting consumers and preserving the integrity of the marketplace. By combining our product authentication expertise with the enforcement capabilities of the Nigeria Customs Service, we are taking a decisive step towards curbing counterfeits and ensuring that consumers have access to genuine, safe, and high-quality products.”
Adeniyi further noted that the collaboration demonstrates the value of public-private partnerships in addressing complex challenges that impact both businesses and society.
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, said “We are committed to implementing the agreement transparently and professionally in line with our mandate. The fight against counterfeiting and other forms of illicit trade cannot be won by one organisation acting alone. Partnerships like this are important because they bring together the strengths of both the public and private sectors in pursuit of a common goal. Beyond protecting businesses, this is about protecting Nigerian consumers and giving them greater confidence in the products they buy every day. We are pleased to partner with Unilever Nigeria and look forward to translating this commitment into tangible results that strengthen legitimate trade, support economic growth, and uphold the integrity of our markets.”
This Memorandum of Understanding represents a significant step towards strengthening the fight against counterfeiting and illicit trade in Nigeria. By bringing together industry expertise and regulatory enforcement, Unilever Nigeria and the Nigeria Customs Service are establishing a framework for deeper collaboration, stronger intelligence sharing, sustained capacity building, and more effective protection of intellectual property rights. The true measure of this partnership will be seen through consistent execution and measurable results across ports, border corridors, and supply chains. Ultimately, the collaboration aims to protect consumers, promote fair competition, and strengthen the conditions necessary for legitimate trade and economic growth to thrive.
