Mounjaro Weight-Loss Injections Are Trending in Nigeria and Kenya

Weight-loss injections are all over Nigerian social media, and Mounjaro is the name people keep asking about. Here is the part many people miss. Mounjaro is not yet approved in Nigeria or Kenya, according to the latest reports. The company behind its African rollout has applied, and regulators are still deciding.

So, what is actually pending, and what should you know before you buy anything online? Let’s break it down.

The Short Version

South African drugmaker Aspen Pharmacare has submitted Mounjaro for registration in Nigeria and Kenya, and neither has approved it yet. Kenya’s Pharmacy and Poisons Board has begun reviewing its application.

What Is Mounjaro?

Mounjaro is the brand name of tirzepatide, a once-weekly injection made by Eli Lilly. In the United States, the FDA label says it is approved to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes, alongside diet and exercise, per the FDA prescribing information.

Lilly says a separate brand, Zepbound, is approved for adults with obesity or overweight with a related condition. It also says neither medicine is approved for cosmetic weight loss, according to Lilly’s open letter. So, how Mounjaro is licensed in each country matters, and Nigeria and Kenya have not decided yet.

What Is Pending in Nigeria and Kenya?

Aspen is Lilly’s official distributor of Mounjaro in sub-Saharan Africa. In its annual results, it said Mounjaro is awaiting registration in Nigeria and Kenya.

Aspen’s chief executive, Stephen Saad, said earlier in the year that he expected registrations “from as early as this calendar year”. That is a company expectation, not a regulator’s promise, so no date is confirmed. Prices have also not been announced.

Mounjaro weight loss pen

Why Is Demand Growing So Fast?

South Africa gives a clue. Mounjaro launched there in late 2024, and its share of the weight-loss and diabetes injection market rose to 53% from 15% a year earlier. That market also nearly doubled in value to 2.8 billion rand, according to CNBC Africa. Aspen hopes to sell more than 2 billion rand of Mounjaro across Africa in the year to June 2027.

So, it is easy to see why people in Nigeria and Kenya are watching closely. However, interest in a drug is not the same as safe access to it.

What Is Already Being Sold in Nigeria?

While Mounjaro waits, injections are already being sold online. A DUBAWA investigation, published on July 28, 2026, found vendors selling weight-loss injections on Instagram and through WhatsApp without asking for a prescription. One spa-style account offered shots at ₦100,000, ₦180,000 and ₦250,000.

The same investigation found that Mounjaro, Ozempic and Retatrutide did not appear in NAFDAC’s public database of registered products. NAFDAC said medicines for commercial distribution generally must be registered, and that products labelled “Research Use Only” are not authorised for routine human use. Some of the sites used fake testimonials.

Why Fake Pens Are a Real Danger

Fakes are not just a theory. In 2023, NAFDAC warned about a batch of falsified Ozempic pens that were actually relabelled insulin pens. One tested pen contained fast-acting insulin. That is a serious risk, because insulin can drop blood sugar dangerously.

Lilly also says it has found fake tirzepatide products that contained bacteria, high impurity levels or only a sugar alcohol. So, a low price or a convincing pen is not proof of what is inside.

Side Effects and Who Should Not Use It

Mounjaro is a prescription medicine with real risks. The FDA label lists these common side effects:

• Common: nausea, diarrhoea, decreased appetite, vomiting, constipation, indigestion and stomach pain.

• Serious warnings: pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, and dehydration that can harm the kidneys.

The label also carries a boxed warning. Tirzepatide caused thyroid tumours in rats, and it is not known whether it does in humans. People with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, or a rare condition called MEN 2, should not use it. DUBAWA quoted endocrinologist Oladapo Ashiru as saying patients need a clinical assessment and monitoring first, and he described a Nigerian patient who developed severe fluid loss after unsupervised use.

How to Protect Yourself Right Now

First, talk to a licensed doctor before using any weight-loss injection. Do not rely on a seller’s claim that there are “no side effects”. Second, be careful with anonymous social media sellers, very low prices and sellers who refuse to show batch numbers or sourcing.

If you already bought a product and feel unwell, seek medical help and tell the doctor what you used. You can report a suspicious product to NAFDAC on 0800-162-3322, the hotline listed in its 2023 alert. 

What Happens Next?

Watch for official announcements from NAFDAC in Nigeria and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board in Kenya. Until one of them approves Mounjaro, treat any “official” Mounjaro on sale in either country with caution. Prices, pharmacy availability and prescription rules will only become clear after approval.

For more health stories, see our health desk.

Quick FAQs

1. Is Mounjaro approved in Nigeria?

Not according to the latest reports. Aspen has submitted it for registration, and no approval has been reported.

2. Is Mounjaro approved in Kenya?

Not yet. Kenya’s Pharmacy and Poisons Board has begun reviewing Aspen’s application.

3. Is Mounjaro a weight-loss drug?

In the United States, Mounjaro is approved for type 2 diabetes, and a separate Lilly brand, Zepbound, is approved for weight management. How it will be licensed in Nigeria and Kenya is not yet known.