Scientific Officer Warns Dangers of Using Mercury in Cosmetic Products, Stresses Community Awareness Creation

Addis Ababa, October 6, 2025 (ENA) -- Cultural advocates and entertainers need to promote the beauty of all skin tones, emphasizing their critical role in reshaping harmful beauty norms, a Nigeria’s Ministry of Environment, scientific officer Oblamaka Okoli told ENA.

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) recently launched a project to eliminate mercury-added skin-lightening products in Africa and the southern hemisphere.

This initiative aimed to strengthen regulatory enforcement, disrupt supply chains, and increase public awareness through research and policy efforts.

Despite legal bans on the use of toxic substances such as mercury in cosmetics, colorism remains a powerful force driving the demand for harmful skin-lightening products in Africa and the Global South.

These products, often containing mercury, hydroquinone, and steroids, pose serious health risks but continue to be widely used due to entrenched cultural beauty standards and social pressures.

Oblamaka Okoli, Scientific Officer at Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Environment, told ENA that Nigeria has put strong legal frameworks in place to prevent mercury in cosmetics. However, she emphasized that social stereotypes remains the dominant driver of skin-lightening use.

Okoli highlighted the entertainment industry’s role in reinforcing harmful beauty ideals, noting how lighter skin is often portrayed as more desirable. “In Nigerian entertainment, lighter skin is portrayed as more attractive, promoting a beauty standard that pressures women to use these harmful products,” she said.

Okoli urged the media to counter such stereotypes to represent darker skin tones positively.

She also stressed the urgent need for education at the community level to raise awareness about the dangers of using these products, noting that many people are unaware of the severe health risks associated with chemically altering skin color.

Health professionals warn that skin-lightening products can cause, among others mercury poisoning, skin infections, and other complications that threaten long-term health.

The World Health Organization has issued strong warnings about mercury’s harmful effects on the nervous system, kidneys, and reproductive health, especially in pregnant women and children.

While participating in the continental inception workshop jointly organized by GEF and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in Addis Ababa recently, Okoli cited Nigeria’s commitment to addressing the environmental and health crisis of mercury-added skin lightening products.

She urged cultural advocates and entertainers to promote the beauty of all skin tones, emphasizing their critical role in reshaping harmful beauty norms.

“The entertainment industry must become part of the solution by celebrating diverse representations rather than reinforcing outdated ideals,” she said.

Her message called for a dual approach—stronger legal action combined with cultural transformation—to combat colorism. By embracing natural beauty and educating communities, Nigeria and the broader African region can move toward improving public health, dignity, and genuine self-acceptance.

The ongoing challenge also highlights the need to balance cultural practices and health policy in addressing skin-lightening harms worldwide, it was learned.