The Lagos State Government has taken a significant step toward strengthening the regulation of cosmetic products and procedures with the presentation of the National Policy on Cosmetics Safety and Health and its Implementation Plan to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Kemi Ogunyemi.
The move follows the reported death of Nigerian socialite and influencer Elena Jessica after complications from a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) procedure at a private hospital in Lagos. The tragic incident was announced in a viral social media post by the deceased’s family.
Pharmanewsonline reports that a Brazilian Butt Lift is a cosmetic surgical procedure designed to enhance the size and shape of the buttocks using a patient’s own body fat. The process involves removing fat from areas such as the abdomen, waist, back, or thighs through liposuction. The extracted fat is then purified and injected into the buttocks to achieve a fuller, rounder, and more lifted appearance.
Records show that several women worldwide have died during or after undergoing the procedure due to complications arising from the surgery.
The policy was formally presented during the Exit Meeting of the Lagos State Engagement on the National Policy on Cosmetics Safety and Health, held at the Conference Room of the Lagos State Ministry of Health on Friday. The meeting marked the conclusion of a four-day stakeholder engagement that began on Tuesday, 10 March 2026.
Speaking at the meeting, Ogunyemi said the engagement could not have come at a more critical time, citing the recent cosmetic surgery-related death in Lagos currently under investigation by the Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA).
“This engagement could not have come at a better time. Only this week, we had an unfortunate incident where a well-known lady died in Lagos following cosmetic surgery,” she said.
Ogunyemi added that relevant authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the drugs used and their sources.
She stressed that patient safety remains a top priority for the Lagos State Government, noting that the regulation of cosmetic products and procedures is critical to protecting citizens.
“When even one person dies, it means something has gone wrong, and we certainly do not want such incidents to happen again,” she said.
The Special Adviser further assured stakeholders that the state government would ensure effective implementation of the policy across the entire cosmetics value chain, including manufacturers, suppliers, training institutions, and health facilities. She added that Lagos would continue to set the pace for other states in implementing the policy.
Director of Cosmetics Safety in the Food and Drug Services Department of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Paul Okhakhu, said the policy was developed to address the increasing cases of adverse health effects linked to unsafe cosmetic products.
According to him, the policy validated in Lagos will guide regulatory actions and support the development of state-specific action plans to tackle cosmetic safety challenges.
In her closing remarks, the Director of Pharmaceutical Services at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Olawale Poluyi, described the engagement as an important milestone in the implementation journey of the policy in the state.
The four-day engagement brought together 49 participants from federal and state government agencies, regulatory bodies, academia, industry associations, cosmetology practitioners, civil society organisations, and the media to assess the cosmetics safety landscape in Lagos and develop a State Cosmetics Safety Action Plan aimed at protecting public health.
