In a city where waste is seen as wealth, even discarded wigs find their way back into circulation — but at what hidden cost to buyers?
In Lagos, Nigeria’s bustling megacity, nothing is truly wasted. Amid the city’s staggering 5.46 million tonnes of annual waste, scavengers are finding surprising treasures—discarded wigs.
An investigation by PUNCH Healthwise revealed that these secondhand wigs, retrieved from major dumpsites like Olusosun (Ojota), Dumping (Ikorodu), and Solous (Igando), are cleaned, repackaged, and transported for resale, particularly to the northern regions where demand is high.
At Ewu-Elepe’s dumpsite in Ikorodu, known locally as Dumping, scavengers have built an economy out of Lagos’s trash. Metals, clothes, appliances—and now wigs—are sorted and sold. One dealer, preferring anonymity, explained that wigs are undervalued in Lagos but highly sought after in parts of the north, especially Niger State.
“Women buy and wear them there,” he said in Pidgin English, dismissing concerns about the wigs’ origins.
Roadside Markets and Hidden Dangers
These wigs, often revitalized with a bit of oil and straightener, are sold at roadside stalls. Customers, unaware of the source, are often thrilled by the wigs’ soft textures, but beneath the surface lurk unseen dangers—bacteria, fungi, and parasites.
A food vendor at Dumping, nicknamed Iya Tinubu, disclosed that secondhand traders routinely buy clothes and wigs from the dumpsite, wash and sometimes resize them, then resell them at popular markets like Sabo in Ikorodu.
“They buy in bulk. They pick, clean, and resell. Wigs are no different from clothes to them,” she said.
Retailers confirmed the booming trade. Women’s clothes are priced between ₦200 and ₦500, while men’s items go for ₦700 to ₦1,000—a price hike blamed on Nigeria’s worsening economy.
Silent Health Crisis Brewing
However, health experts warn that the risks of using such scavenged wigs far outweigh the economic benefits.
Consultant dermatologist and Associate Professor at the University of Benin, Dr. Roli Madubuko, cautioned that these wigs could cause fungal infections like Tinea capitis (commonly called ringworm or lapalapa), bacterial infections like folliculitis, and infestations of lice and mites.
“These wigs may harbor dangerous organisms that cause painful boils, scalp abscesses, and severe skin irritations,” she warned.
Similarly, Dr. Nkiruka Onodugo of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital stressed that even disinfectants used on secondhand wigs could cause contact dermatitis—a harsh allergic skin reaction.
Wearing improperly fitted wigs scavenged from waste can also lead to hair loss, scalp damage, and obstructed blood flow, according to experts.
A 2022 study by Nigerian researchers further revealed that synthetic wigs often contain dangerous pesticide residues—posing risks ranging from infertility to cancer, respiratory diseases, and neurological disorders.
Consumer Advisory: Buyer Beware
Experts advise women to exercise extreme caution when purchasing wigs, especially from unverified roadside vendors.
“Better to embrace your natural hair than risk dangerous infections or toxic exposures just for fashion,” Dr. Onodugo urged.
Efforts to get an official response from Nigeria’s Ministry of Health on the matter were unsuccessful at the time of this report.
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