Prohibited items

How this list works

• It applies to products, digital files, services, bookings and payment links.
• It isn’t complete. Anything illegal in Nigeria, or that our payment partner Bachs won’t process, is not allowed even if it isn’t listed.
• If an item needs a licence, permit or registration (for example from NAFDAC), you must have it and show it to us if we ask.
• We may remove a listing, freeze a payment link or pause a shop that breaks these rules, refund buyers, and report illegal activity to the authorities.
• Not sure? Ask us at [SUPPORT EMAIL: support@nairabio.com — confirm] before you list it.

1. Illegal and dangerous goods

• Illegal drugs and controlled substances, including cannabis (“igbo”), and anything sold to get high, such as codeine or tramadol without a prescription, or “skuchies” and similar mixes.
• Drug paraphernalia meant for illegal drug use.
• Firearms (including locally made guns), ammunition, gun parts, explosives, and weapons such as tasers or knuckle-dusters.
• Fireworks, “bangers” and other explosive or highly flammable items.
• Military, police, customs and other uniforms, badges and kits of Nigerian security agencies.
• Stolen goods, or anything you don’t have the right to sell.
• Fuel, cooking gas and other petroleum products, chemicals and hazardous materials sold without the licences the law requires.
• Goods smuggled into Nigeria, or on the Nigeria Customs Service import prohibition list.

2. Medicines, health and beauty

• Prescription-only medicines, and any medicine sold without the pharmacy licence the law requires.
• Food, drinks, drugs, cosmetics, herbal remedies and other products that must be registered with NAFDAC but aren’t, or that are fake, expired or relabelled.
• Products or services with unproven medical claims: “cures” for diseases, miracle weight loss, fertility or “manpower” remedies, and similar.
• Skin-lightening or bleaching products with banned ingredients (such as mercury) or more than the legal limit of others.
• Human organs, blood, body parts or remains.
• Health services by people who aren’t licensed to provide them.

3. Age-restricted products

NairaBio can’t check a buyer’s age, so these aren’t allowed for now:

• Alcoholic drinks. [ALCOHOL — owner/lawyer to confirm: prohibit, or allow licensed sellers with age checks]
• Cigarettes, tobacco, shisha, e-cigarettes, vapes and nicotine products.
• Adult sexual products and content, pornography, and sexual or escort services.

4. Fakes and other people’s rights

• Counterfeit, fake, “replica”, “first grade” or “master copy” branded goods.
• Pirated films, music, software, games, books, courses and other copies made without the owner’s permission.
• Anything that uses someone else’s trademark, design or copyrighted work without permission.

5. Money, gambling and investment schemes

• Betting, gambling, lotteries, raffles and games of chance, unless you hold the licence the law requires.
• Mystery boxes, “surprise packs” and random pack openings sold for money.
• Investment schemes, “double your money”, Ponzi and pyramid schemes, high-yield programmes, and paid recruitment into networks.
• Forex, crypto or stock trading signals, “account management” and trading courses that promise returns.
• Loans, savings and contribution schemes (ajo, esusu, thrift) run for others, money transfer or currency exchange (including selling dollars), unless you’re licensed by the CBN or the relevant regulator.
• Unregistered securities or investment offers.
• Gift cards, vouchers or airtime bought with stolen or fraudulent payments, or resold to move money.

6. Fraud, deception and data

• Fake reviews, followers, likes or views, and services that manipulate reviews or social proof.
• Buying or selling personal data: customer lists, phone numbers, BVN or NIN details, bank accounts, or registered SIM cards.
• Fake, forged or stolen documents: IDs, certificates, results, visas, letters or receipts.
• Exam malpractice: leaked questions (“expo” or “runs”), result upgrades, and admission or job “connections” for a fee.
• Hacking tools, malware, spyware, phishing kits, account cracking or recovery of other people’s accounts.
• Services that help people get around bans or rules on other platforms.
• Visa, immigration, travel or job-placement services that take money without the licence the law requires.
• Anything sold with the plan of not delivering it.

7. Harmful content and wildlife

• Content or goods that promote violence, terrorism, hate, or discrimination.
• Content that sexualises or exploits children, or services aimed at children without proper safeguards.
• Endangered or protected animals and plants, and products made from them, such as ivory or pangolin scales.
• Live animals sold without the permits the law requires, or kept in cruel conditions.

8. Our payment partner’s rules

Bachs processes NairaBio payments and has its own list of businesses it doesn’t support (docs.bachs.io). Everything on it is covered above, but Bachs may also restrict an account it sees as high risk for fraud, chargebacks or compliance, even if the business isn’t listed here. If Bachs restricts your account, we may not be able to take payments for your shop. Card payments must also follow Visa and Mastercard rules.