Reviewed by Omotolani Ajileye
What started as a conversation about the authenticity of perfumes has now turned into an unusual dispute at the Lagos Trade Fair Complex, with perfume vendors protesting against the presence of Lattafa Plaza at the market.
Videos circulating on social media in recent days showed groups of perfume sellers gathered around the Lattafa outlet at the Trade Fair Complex, with protesters reportedly demanding that the store shut down in solidarity with other vendors affected by a recent National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) enforcement operation.
The development has sparked widespread reactions online, with many Nigerians questioning why traders would demand the closure of an outlet selling the same brand whose authenticity has become part of the ongoing conversation.
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How the controversy started
The ongoing argument that now focuses on perfumery starts a couple of weeks before NAFDAC (National Food and Drug Administration and Control) raids the entire Trade Fair Complex. It begins a deeper conversation about original perfumes at the Trade Fair complex.
Popular Nigerian food and lifestyle critic, Opeyemi Famakin, recently brought attention to the issue with perfume reviews that included discussing Lattafa perfumes and how individuals can identify original perfumes among questionable or false perfumes.
Nigerians who buy perfumes quickly joined in the discussion, comparing original perfumes with allegedly original perfumes found on the market.
Although widely shared, the argument is not evidence that NAFDAC initiated the raid because of famakin’s review.
Following that period, the two-day, August 26-27, enforcement operation by the NAFDAC Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, cosmetics division, was initiated at the Lagos Trade Fair Complex. The operation, designed to flush out and ban from circulation specified unregistered cosmetic items, saw the sealing of numerous business premises, shops, etc.
Those affected premises included Vincentmo World, Amazon City of Fragrance, Aza-King Store Perfumes, PP2 & Fragrance International Ltd., Fragrance Doctor shop and God & Obaino Fragrance Store. NAFDAC announced that those premises were sealed; locked with “NAFDAC HOLD” to be later removed when further measures had been adopted.
Perfume vendors were invited in and suspected original cosmetics were collected to be put through investigation and other proceedings before being presented in NAFDAC’s case file against individual traders. The enforcement action had been carried out because of suspicions of unregistered cosmetics rather than against perfumery on the Trade Fair generally.
By August 27, videos surfaced revealing perfume vendors at the Trade Fair Complex complaining about harassment and relentless closing down of business from NAFDAC’s operatives, as documented by SaharaReporters. One trader had stated that shop sealing had continued persistently for two years.
The retailers have appealed to NAFDAC to halt what they claim are incessant intimidations. Nigeria’s official position has remained constant as the agency takes action to remove unregistered goods while upholding standards for all goods produced for Nigerians.
Suddenly, Lattafa Plaza shows up
This conflict escalates in an unusual trend when protests outside Lattafa at the Trade Fair emerge where traders called on Lattafa Plaza to stop operations at its current venue, in support of its neighbouring shops already affected by NAFDAC raid.
A social media post alleged that traders made their demands on the grounds that Lattafa Plaza’s operation was evidence of Nigeria already finding original Lattafa perfumes in its perfume supply chains. Other posts discussed face-off between the traders and the outlet which refused to cease business on August 27th.
Social media frenzy was triggered.
The uniqueness attracted considerable attention.
Why all eyes were fixated on Lattafa
Lattafa is a brand of perfume from the United Arab Emirates and is so highly rated by perfume buyers in Nigerian that they were all set to patronise it while still demanding its cessation at the Trade Fair premises due to its nature in what Nigerians identified as fake product market and the drama ensuing from it.
Many online expressed humorous views over perfumers demanding an official, original-bearing outlet to suspend its operations when it was already acknowledged in Nigeria as the real deal in expensive perfumery that was often missing in many other outlets.
In other accounts, social media commentators noted the peculiarity of traders claiming for originality with other, fake, expensive and widely traded perfumery. These remain speculations as neither of the alleged traders nor their fake perfume-selling claims could be investigated yet.
Authenticity in the perfume market and Nigerian buyers’ trust
A deeper look into this current debate shows Nigeria’s perfume market’s enormous problem of consumers’ trust and authenticity. In Nigeria, the buyers find it very difficult to know the authentic items from fakes when it is almost impossible that any item priced far below the original price is authentic.
The value of perfumes purchased may range from tens to hundreds of thousands of naira. NAFDAC’s recent activities are part of broader regulations and checks on illegal cosmetics found in the Trade Fair complex where in February 2026, it discovered billions of fake and unapproved cosmetics with its February activity alone.
Hence, the whole debate now extends far beyond a particular perfume brand or viral video as many people find themselves asking questions about how fragrances are delivered to Nigeria, by whom their authenticity is checked, to what extent Nigeria adequately safeguards buyers’ trust, and to what degree could operations become difficult for legally registered businesses.
What comes next?
The situation as it is, with videos showing the verbal spat between perfumers and Lattafa Plaza will certainly linger on; the perfume trade will continue as NAFDAC has repeatedly informed and clarified that its enforcement action is targeted at suspected unregistered cosmetic products, and it stands firm on their commitment in ongoing investigation.
The perfume sellers will surely maintain a stance of frustration at NAFDAC’s actions while members of the public will continue on their various, divergent stances on perfume authenticity at Trade Fair as Nigeria’s perfume market awaits further revelation and solutions to its many controversial issues which begin with the unanswered question: Why have traders called for the closure of an official Lattafa outlet?
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