A young man has revealed how he discovered that 46 of the 120 buckets of paint he bought were filled with water. That is about 38 percent of his purchase. [https://x.com/i/status/2109873172455539155] The video does not, in the details we received, tell us who sold the buckets, where he bought them or how much he paid. We could not independently confirm his claims, and we found no police or regulatory statement on the case.
This Is Not the First Time Paint Has Been Faked: Past Cases of Fake and Watered-Down Products (Adulteration Cases in Nigeria)
Nigeria has a long record of adulterated (mixed with cheaper or useless materials) paint. In 2018, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) said it broke up a syndicate making substandard and adulterated paint in Port Harcourt after a tip-off from residents. Officials said they found more than 200 twenty-litre buckets of paint and 70 bags of calcium carbonate, and that the group was also adulterating well-known paint brands. [https://thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/09/14/son-bursts-substandard-paints-syndicate-in-port-harcourt] A SON official warned that breathing in such paint over months and years can harm the body. [https://brandspurng.com/2018/09/13/son-bursts-substandard-paints-syndicate-in-rivers/] That case shows that fake paint is not only a money problem but also a health problem.
The industry itself has complained for years. A former chairman of the Paints Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMA) said many fakers use the labels of genuine manufacturers and sell more cheaply than the real producers. [https://businessday.ng/real-sector/article/fakers-squeeze-nigerian-paint-industry/] At the association’s 2023 meeting, its chairman said faking and adulteration of premium brands remained a major challenge. He added that SON’s monitoring and enforcement had not produced the results the industry wanted. [https://leadership.ng/?p=177842]
The problem reaches beyond paint. In December 2017, SON officials and armed police raided Idumota market in Lagos and seized about 26 cartons of fake Kiwi liquid dye after more than 10 years of an alleged fake operation. SON said it found the suspects after tips from members of the public and complaints from the real producer. [https://thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/12/21/clamping-down-on-fake-producers-at-yuletide-in-lagos] Together these cases show that fakers adapt, and that enforcement often depends on someone speaking up.
Cheap Prices, Weak Checks and Easy Imitation: What Makes Buyers Easy Targets (Causes of Product Adulteration)
Cost is a major driver. Fakers undercut real manufacturers, who spend money on research and quality control. [https://businessday.ng/real-sector/article/fakers-squeeze-nigerian-paint-industry/] A buyer who sees a low price may think he has found a bargain. SON’s Lagos coordinator once said that with the weak economy “people want to cut corners.” [https://thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/12/21/clamping-down-on-fake-producers-at-yuletide-in-lagos] We do not know whether this applies to the seller in this case.
Weak enforcement is another cause. The PMA has said repeatedly that SON’s efforts have not stopped the practice. [https://www.financialnigeria.com/nigerian-manufacturers-project-1bn-litres-of-paint-consumption-by-2025-news-1603.html] The association even suggested that SON and NAFDAC should require all paint manufacturers to register. A buyer is also easy to fool when a bucket looks sealed. Berger Paints, for example, introduced tamper-proof lids because adulteration had become so common. [https://businessday.ng/real-sector/article/berger-paints-introduces-tamper-proof-lid-to-check-adulteration/] When a lid can be copied or reused, a bucket can be refilled with anything.
Money Lost, Projects Delayed and Trust Damaged: How One Fake Bucket Hurts Many People (Effects of Counterfeit Goods)
For the buyer, the loss is direct. Paying for 120 buckets and finding that more than a third contain water means paying full price for a worthless liquid. If he is a contractor or painter, the shock does not stop there. He may have to replace the paint, delay a job and explain the problem to his clients. Reputation matters in the building trade.
For the genuine manufacturers, fakes cut into sales and harm the name of their brands. The PMA has said the practice makes its members lose revenue every day. [https://leadership.ng/?p=177842] A customer who gets a bad bucket may blame the brand and not the faker.
There is a health and safety risk when paint is mixed with unknown materials, as SON warned after the Port Harcourt raid. [https://brandspurng.com/2018/09/13/son-bursts-substandard-paints-syndicate-in-rivers/] Water-filled buckets are different, but the same market that sells them can also sell dangerous mixtures.
For the country, the cost is large. One estimate valued Nigeria’s paint industry at about $268 million, and the industry reportedly had over ₦30 billion in investment and the capacity to produce 200 million litres a year as of December 2017. [https://www.financialnigeria.com/nigerian-manufacturers-project-1bn-litres-of-paint-consumption-by-2025-news-1603.html] Counterfeiting threatens jobs, tax revenue and the confidence of buyers. Manufacturers’ leaders have also warned that the cloning of Nigerian products is “becoming alarming” in other African markets. [https://businessday.ng/real-sector/article/fakers-squeeze-nigerian-paint-industry/]
Protecting Yourself and Closing the Gaps: Practical Steps for Buyers, Manufacturers and Regulators (Possible Solutions)
Buyers can take simple steps. Buy from authorised dealers or the manufacturer’s own outlets, and check the lid, seal and label for signs of tampering. Berger Paints said its tamper-proof lids make unauthorised opening easier to spot. [https://businessday.ng/real-sector/article/berger-paints-introduces-tamper-proof-lid-to-check-adulteration/] For large orders, open a few buckets in front of the seller before paying, and ask for a receipt that lists the brand and batch. Be suspicious of prices far below market. These tips are our suggestions, and a buyer’s choices depend on the shop and the deal.
Report problems. SON’s Lagos coordinator said a buyer who is shortchanged should complain to SON. [https://thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/12/21/clamping-down-on-fake-producers-at-yuletide-in-lagos] The Port Harcourt case began with tips from members of the public, so reporting matters. [https://thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/09/14/son-bursts-substandard-paints-syndicate-in-port-harcourt]
Manufacturers can keep investing in tamper-proof packaging, bring distribution closer to customers and educate buyers on how to spot fakes. Regulators can step up market checks, publish lists of approved products and act on complaints faster. The PMA’s call for mandatory registration of all paint makers with SON and NAFDAC deserves a serious look. [https://www.financialnigeria.com/nigerian-manufacturers-project-1bn-litres-of-paint-consumption-by-2025-news-1603.html]
A Bargain That Costs More Than It Saves: Our Closing Reflection (Trust, Vigilance and Accountability)
We feel for the young man. Whatever the full story, discovering that dozens of buckets hold nothing but water is a painful lesson, and it should not be dismissed. We also note that his account has not yet been confirmed, and that the seller has not been heard.
The wider lesson is clear. Fake and watered-down goods are a long-running problem in Nigeria, and buyers who rely on trust alone are exposed. At the same time, the burden should not rest on buyers alone. Sellers who cheat should face real consequences, and regulators should make enforcement visible.
We urge the young man, if he has not already done so, to report the matter to SON and the police, and we urge other buyers to inspect before they pay. We will update this story if the seller responds or the authorities comment.
Published by Ejoh Caleb
