Why are some parents in Nigeria using harmful skin lightening products on their children?

When Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja was in Lagos last year, he learned that some parents there are using harmful products on their children in order to lighten their skin and that in some instances parents are unintentionally lightening and damaging their children’s skin. The usage of skin lightening products is high in Nigeria. According to the World Health Organisation, the prevalence of skin bleaching varies across the continent in Mali it's 25% while in Nigeria it's 77%, so the market for these products is large and widespread. In today’s episode, Alan looks at what’s behind this trend and hears from the owner of a natural skin products business on the conversations she’s had with mothers looking for skin lightening products for their young children. And he speaks to a dermatologist on the young and damaged skin she’s seen in her clinic.

With special thanks to producer Chigozie Ohaka.