Skin tone remains a social currency in many African societies, often shaping how individuals are valued and how they value themselves. While governments attempt to regulate the sale of skin-lightening products, entrenched beauty ideals rooted in colonial histories continue to drive demand. In Nigeria, an estimated 77 percent of women reportedly use these products - a trend echoed in Congo-Brazzaville (66%), Senegal (50%), Ghana (39%), South Africa (32%), and Mali (25%), according to the World Health Organization’s African Regional Office (2023). Speaking at a high-level workshop in Gabon, Nigerian health officials raised urgent concerns about the growing prevalence of these products and their harmful effects, which include irreversible skin damage, hormonal disruption, and long-term organ failure—often caused by toxic ingredients such as mercury and hydroquinone.

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