Nigerians Urge NAFDAC to Probe viral ‘Organic Weight Gain Pap’ for Babies

Nigerians have expressed concern over a weight gain pap for babies being sold by a TikTok user, urging the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to probe the product.

The controversy began after some X.com users raised alarms about the safety of the product, which is marketed as an “organic” solution to help babies gain weight.

In a post on X.com on Monday, popular Nigerian health influencer, Dr. Chinonso Egemba, better known as Aproko Doctor, urged NAFDAC to take immediate action, stating, “Dear #NafdacAgency, I’m guessing this is within your purview. No one knows what is inside that pap. Also, this is setting these babies for damage.”

His post came in response to some X.com users, #JaceTheJace and #Talk2veee, who had raised concerns about the potential harm of the product and shared videos originally posted by the TikTok user #purelyorganicc of babies who allegedly consumed the pap.

One of the videos had the caption, “POV: My customer’s baby while using our baby’s weight gain pap. Now tell me why you haven’t gotten our products yet. Baby is only four months old.”

Another video claimed a one-year-old baby weighed 47 kg. The caption read, “He is currently weighing 47kg. That was last month when I checked, and he is only a year old.”

Sharing the videos, #JaceTheJace wrote, “Can you just imagine this? We need to find a way to stop this person. She took the video off her page; this is the page in question.”

In a separate post on X, #Talk2veee questioned the obsession with “chubby babies” and the potential harm of promoting such products.

“What’s the obsession with chubby babies? Are slim babies unhealthy?” she wrote, sharing a WhatsApp screenshot of a review from a parent who praised the weight gain pap.

The review read, “We are four months. She is doing wonders. People dey gather her; they call her boss baby. Madam, what are you feeding her with? E choke, my baby na celeb everywhere we dey. The joy is heavenly.”

As the conversation gained traction, Nigerians voiced their concerns about the potential harm such products could cause, calling on NAFDAC to address the issue.

“She doesn’t even know what’s inside the so-called pap. I’ve emailed child help and domestic violence organisations, I don’t know who to reach out to again; we need to do something about this rubbish before babies start dying!” #JaceTheJace wrote.

Another user, #Razoredmanchi, pointed out that the weight measurements used by the seller were confusing and misleading.

He wrote, “Nigerians and confusing KG with lbs, that baby is 47 pounds, which is roughly 21.3 kg, but that’s still too heavy for a child; they should arrest that seller. #NafdacAgency, see ooooooh.

“That’s to tell you how ‘illiterate’ the seller is. Such person that doesn’t even know basic “weight/mass” shouldn’t be making consumables for babies. #NafdacAgency, make una do something.”

Some expressed fear that promoting such products could contribute to the rise of childhood obesity.

#StephanieInii wrote, “I wondered too, are these parents not aware that these are harmful to their health? Why subject these kids to early obesity?”

#ChineduMpamugo also wrote, “Having an extremely big infant is not a ‘flex’ as some think. What you need is a healthy child, not an obese one.

“Infant obesity poses a short- and long-term problem, with a risk of chronic diseases later in life. It’s worse when you have to give special products for weight gain.”

#loveanswersall also wrote on X, “How can a baby be weighing that much? My baby weighed 11 kg, and I was bothered about him being overweight. Now mothers go to any lengths to make their babies grow big.”

#Queen_Ozioma commented, “At this point, I believe people who sell this kind of product are using diabolical means to get their customers because no normal person would buy this for their baby.”

#JaceTheJace replied, “You need to see her comment section; more and more people are requesting it; some are even asking if she makes for adults.”

Amara, tweeting as #Amy_beke, also replied, “Like honestly! Who knows what they put inside that pap? I feel bad for that child.”

#TheoAbuAgada also urged NAFDAC to investigate the seller’s claims and the safety of the product.

He wrote, “Hello, #NafdacAgency, what are you doing about these vendors selling organic weight gain pap and feeding it to children? This is a serious problem that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.”