The European Union has launched an investigation into the widespread trafficking of counterfeit goods into West Africa, pinpointing Nigerian seaports as critical transit hubs fueling this illicit trade that reaches international markets.
The 2025 EU Report on the Protection and Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in Third Countries highlights Nigeria’s growing role in the importation and re-exportation of fake products, including pharmaceuticals, electronics, and fashion items, posing significant risks to consumer safety, public health, and the integrity of global trade.
Nigeria is listed among eight “Priority 3 countries” in the report, a category that includes Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand.
These nations are identified as facing serious challenges in enforcing intellectual property rights, negatively impacting European businesses and markets.
The report explicitly states, “Nigeria’s large seaports serve as maritime gateways for importing fake products to West Africa, including falsified medical products.”
Of particular concern is the influx of counterfeit pharmaceuticals, which represents a severe public health threat, especially in regions where regulatory oversight is weak or inconsistent.
Beyond medical products, the EU warns that Nigeria has become a significant transit point for counterfeit electronics and electrical goods, predominantly manufactured in China and distributed regionally and internationally, including within European markets.
“Nigeria is a transit point for fake electronics and electrical equipment produced in China for re-export to other Western African economies as well as the EU,” the report explains.
Moreover, the report reveals that Nigeria is not only a transit hub but also an exporter of counterfeit goods.
Drawing from the joint OECD-EUIPO study “Global Trade in Fakes” (June 2021), the EU names Nigeria as a source of counterfeit leather goods, handbags, footwear, perfumes, cosmetics, and clothing.
Despite acknowledging progress by Nigerian authorities in strengthening intellectual property laws and enforcement, the EU report underscores persistent systemic obstacles.
These include prolonged court proceedings, limited technical expertise, bureaucratic delays, and weak institutional capacity, all of which hinder effective protection of intellectual property rights.
“Protracted IP litigation spans several years preventing rightholders from obtaining effective remedies. Police and customs authorities reportedly suffer administrative bureaucracy which impacts IPR enforcement,” the report states.
The EU also criticizes Nigeria for delays in ratifying key international agreements such as the Madrid Agreement and Protocol on the international registration of trademarks and the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement on industrial designs.
Ratification of these treaties, the EU notes, would align Nigeria’s intellectual property framework with international standards.
This report emerges as Nigeria seeks to enhance trade ties and cement its position as a regional economic hub.
However, the EU warns that without strengthened enforcement and institutional reforms, Nigeria risks remaining a conduit for counterfeit goods, jeopardizing regional commerce and international partnerships.
The EU emphasizes that robust intellectual property protection is crucial for supporting Nigeria’s economic ambitions and integration into global trade.
“In addition, this report includes information on countries with which the EU has already concluded or is about to conclude free trade agreements and where one or several concerns related to the IP provisions of the agreements remain and require further monitoring,” the EU declared.
