Nigeria’s labour market is buckling under the weight of a massive youth population and a collapsing economy, pushing desperate graduates and job seekers into dangerous “survival hustles” that now threaten public health on a national scale.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), unemployment stood at 4.3% in Q2 2024, with youth unemployment at 6.5%. But analysts and social commentators have described these figures as “misleading,” insisting the real numbers are far worse.
Independent findings indicate that at least 13% of the labor force remains unemployed or underemployed when measured against more realistic parameters.
The gap between official statistics and lived reality is stark. Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s removal of fuel subsidies, the steep devaluation of the naira, and skyrocketing fuel prices have driven inflation to historic levels, crushing families and forcing small businesses to shut down.
Findings from Parallel Facts show that this has resulted in a generation of graduates with certificates but no jobs—and a growing culture of unregulated side hustles.
The New Face of Unemployment: TikTok Hustlers and Unverified Mixtures
Nigeria’s informal economy, which already accounts for 93% of jobs, has become a dumping ground for stranded youths. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and WhatsApp now double as storefronts for unregulated products ranging from weight-gain syrups and skin-lightening creams to detox teas, sexual-enhancement drugs, and crude herbal mixtures marketed as “miracle fixes.”
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Flashy before-and-after photos and slick TikTok ads tell stories of quick wealth and instant results, but behind the filters lies a wave of harm. Untrained vendors sell strong, often toxic substances in recycled bottles without dosage instructions or regulatory approval.
One affected Nigerian, a 24-year-old political science graduate, spoke to Parallel Facts under anonymity.
“I studied but there are no jobs. I can’t sit at home hungry. People want bigger bodies, so I just package herbs and drugs for weight gain and sell to some who need them and it works. I know I don’t have training, but I’m surviving with it.”
A young buyer, who requested anonymity, recounted her near-death experience:
“Some unverified mixtures I got from social media almost destroyed my life. The worst is that these sellers lie that they are professionals and verified. Some of their products have fake NAFDAC numbers. It’s only unfortunate I found out after using these products. I almost suffered kidney failure and heart failure.”
Another user shared on TikTok: “I bought some weight gain pills from a vendor online who was in a lab coat with a stethoscope. It only gave me shortness of breath and arthritis.”
Human Cost: Health Sacrificed for Financial Gain
The health risks are alarming. Weight-gain mixtures are among the most popular—and the most dangerous. Users report migraines, hormonal imbalance, and organ damage. Skin-lightening creams leave burns and scars. Detox teas, often laced with harsh laxatives, cause dehydration and ulcers.
The dangers are not limited to consumers. Vendors themselves are aware of the risks. A TikTok seller known as PatPat confessed, “I had to stop the business. I had to put my life first and that of those innocent people taking what they don’t know how and what they are mixing together.”
Another vendor admitted a customer was diagnosed with ovarian cysts just weeks after using her product.
Survivor Stories: From Confidence to Crisis
Miss Blessing John, a mass communication student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, said her desire to look “curvier” landed her in health trouble after taking weight-gain pills.
“I wanted to feel more confident with my body, so I resorted to my friend’s advice. At first, I was excited because I could see changes in just two weeks. But later, I began to feel bloated all the time. My stomach hurt, my face swelled, and I could barely sleep. When I went to the school clinic, the nurse told me to stop immediately. Honestly, I regret ever using it.”
Mr. Kingsley Opara, a shop attendant in Abuja, shared a similar ordeal.
“I didn’t have any medical issues before; I just wanted to look bigger. After a month, I noticed I was always short of breath, and my blood pressure shot up. The doctor was shocked when I mentioned I was using weight-gain powder. I ended up spending more on hospital bills than I did on the product. It’s a lesson I’ll never forget.”
Economic Desperation Behind the Hustle
Miss Hajara Suleman, a microbiology graduate turned vendor in Abuja, admitted that joblessness pushed her into the trade.
“I studied Microbiology and graduated three years ago. I have applied for jobs everywhere, but nothing came. I was just at home, depending on my parents, and it was depressing. Then I noticed many ladies on social media were asking about weight gain and body-shaping products. That’s how I started making weight gain powder from recipes I saw online. People buy it, and that’s how I survive.
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“I know it’s not perfect, but this business puts food on my table. Without it, I don’t know how I would cope in this economy.”
Expert Opinions
A medical practitioner, DR. Patrick Ijewere, when asked about the current trend of hustles, told Parallel Facts, “Today, we have chemicals that cause cancer, kidney failure, and liver problems sold with NAFDAC approval. Today, we have GMO on the market that NBMA has approved. Meanwhile, most of Europe has refused GMO. It’s not nice.”
A financial analyst, Ogundimu Samson, offered a broader view of how Nigeria’s economy aids dangerous hustles.
He said, “The cost of living is very high, and Nigerians are desperately creative to make money. Everything is about money. Even government agencies are going the extra mile to make illegal gains. Family responsibility and pressure are part of the reasons for the sale of fake products. Our society celebrates rich people, and people want to live to that expectation.”
Looming Health Crisis
Health experts warn that Nigeria could face a surge of kidney failure, heart disease, liver damage, hormonal imbalance, and infertility if these unregulated hustles continue unchecked. Public hospitals are already poorly equipped, understaffed, and underfunded, while thousands of trained doctors and nurses continue to leave the country for better opportunities abroad.
If urgent action is not taken, the nation risks a double tragedy: a generation of sick young people and an economy without the human strength to rebuild. The dangerous hustles may offer survival today, but they are quietly destroying tomorrow’s workforce.
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