# Dapagliflozin in Nigeria

- Source: https://ogbogwu.com/drugs/dapagliflozin/
- Drug class: SGLT2 inhibitor (Diabetes)
- Also known as: Forxiga, Farxiga
- Prescription required: yes
- Last updated: September 2026

## Price in Nigeria

As of September 2026, Dapagliflozin tablets sells for about ₦630 per tablet online in Nigeria (packs ₦17,500–₦40,200) across MedPlus. The online price is roughly unchanged since July 2026. Open-market prices (e.g. Idumota, Ogbogwu) are often lower.

## What is Dapagliflozin?

Dapagliflozin, sold mainly as Forxiga, is one of the SGLT2 inhibitors — a modern class of medicines that has changed how type-2 diabetes, heart failure, and kidney disease are managed. It started as a diabetes drug but is now prescribed even to some people without diabetes, because of the way it protects the heart and kidneys. It is taken as a once-daily tablet and is increasingly used in Nigeria alongside older drugs like metformin.

Dapagliflozin works in an unusual way: it makes the kidneys pass extra glucose (sugar) out in the urine, which lowers blood sugar without relying on insulin. That same action removes some salt and water, gently lowering blood pressure and easing the workload on a struggling heart, and it appears to protect the kidneys over time. These heart- and kidney-protective effects are why it is now used in heart failure and chronic kidney disease, not just diabetes.

Because it works through the urine, dapagliflozin causes more frequent urination and a higher chance of genital or urinary infections, especially thrush, so good hygiene and staying hydrated matter. It rarely causes low blood sugar on its own, but the dose of insulin or a sulfonylurea may need lowering when it is added. It is a prescription medicine that should be started and monitored by a doctor. Genuine packs carry a NAFDAC registration number.

## What is Dapagliflozin used for?

- Type-2 diabetes — improving blood sugar control, usually added to metformin or other drugs
- Heart failure (with reduced or preserved pumping function) — reducing symptoms and hospital admissions
- Chronic kidney disease — slowing the loss of kidney function, including in some people without diabetes
- Modest help with blood pressure and weight alongside its main effects

## Dosage

Always follow a doctor's or pharmacist's instructions; this is general reference information.

- Adults: The usual dose is 10mg once daily, taken at the same time each day with or without food; a 5mg dose is sometimes used. It can be taken in the morning and does not need to be timed around meals. Your doctor sets the dose based on what is being treated and your kidney function.
- Children: Not routinely used in children in Nigeria; any use is specialist-led.
- Elderly: Can be used in older adults, with attention to hydration and blood pressure, as the fluid-losing effect can cause dizziness on standing.

Drink enough fluids and keep the genital area clean and dry to reduce the risk of infections. If you become acutely unwell, are unable to eat or drink, or are having surgery, your doctor may advise pausing dapagliflozin temporarily (a 'sick-day rule') because of a rare risk of ketoacidosis. Do not stop a heart-failure or kidney indication on your own. Report unusual thirst, deep breathing, drowsiness, or a fruity breath smell urgently.

## Side effects

Common: Passing urine more often, and a higher chance of genital thrush or urinary infections; Increased thirst; Dizziness or light-headedness, especially on standing (from fluid loss); A small amount of weight loss; Back pain.

Serious (seek medical help immediately): Diabetic ketoacidosis — even with near-normal blood sugar (euglycaemic DKA): nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, deep or rapid breathing, drowsiness, or a fruity breath smell — seek urgent care; A serious genital infection (rare) with severe pain, swelling, redness, and fever around the genitals or between the genitals and anus (Fournier's gangrene) — a medical emergency; Signs of significant dehydration or a sharp drop in blood pressure; Low blood sugar if combined with insulin or a sulfonylurea.

When to see a doctor: Seek urgent care for symptoms of ketoacidosis (even if your sugar is not high), or for severe genital pain, swelling, and fever. Contact your doctor about repeated urinary or genital infections, marked dizziness, or if you are unwell and cannot keep fluids down. Tell any doctor treating you that you take dapagliflozin, especially before surgery.

## Warnings

Do not take if: Do not use in type-1 diabetes (higher risk of ketoacidosis); Use cautiously in people prone to dehydration, or with very low blood pressure; Pause during serious acute illness, before major surgery, or when unable to eat/drink normally (sick-day rule); Do not use if you are allergic to dapagliflozin; Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Interactions: Diuretics (water tablets): combined fluid loss can cause dehydration and low blood pressure; Insulin and sulfonylureas (e.g. glibenclamide): the dose may need lowering to avoid low blood sugar; Blood-pressure medicines: added lowering effect — watch for dizziness; It has relatively few interactions with most other everyday medicines.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding: Dapagliflozin is not recommended in pregnancy, particularly the second and third trimesters, and should be stopped when pregnancy is planned or confirmed and switched to a safer option such as insulin. It should also be avoided while breastfeeding. Discuss alternatives with your doctor if you could become pregnant.

## Brands in Nigeria

Well-known NAFDAC-registered brands: Forxiga (AstraZeneca, made in United Kingdom); Dapzin (Micro Nova Pharmaceuticals, made in India); Dapiflozin (Mega Lifesciences Nigeria, made in India).
Full searchable brand list: https://ogbogwu.com/drugs/dapagliflozin/brands/

## How to verify it is genuine

1. Check the NAFDAC registration number on the pack and verify it on the NAFDAC Green Book or app
2. Buy from a licensed pharmacy, and get it on the recommendation of a doctor who monitors your kidney function
3. Check the expiry date and that the blister and carton are sealed and untampered
4. Genuine tablets should be uniform in size, shape, and colour; discard any that look irregular
5. For Forxiga (AstraZeneca), check the manufacturer branding and batch number; for generics, confirm the manufacturer
6. Be cautious of unusually cheap 'Forxiga' from unverified online or social-media sellers

Verify any NAFDAC number free (no login): https://ogbogwu.com/nafdac-checker/

## FAQs

### Can I take dapagliflozin if I don't have diabetes?

Yes — this is one of the newer things about SGLT2 inhibitors. Dapagliflozin is now prescribed to some people with heart failure or chronic kidney disease even if they do not have diabetes, because it protects the heart and kidneys and reduces hospital admissions. In those cases it is not being used to lower blood sugar but for its organ-protective effects. This should always be a doctor's decision based on your specific condition.

### Why do I keep getting infections on dapagliflozin?

Dapagliflozin works by removing extra sugar through your urine, and that sugar in the urine can encourage genital thrush and, less often, urinary infections. This is the most common nuisance side effect. You can reduce the risk by keeping the genital area clean and dry, staying well hydrated, and treating thrush promptly. If infections are frequent or severe — especially with intense pain, swelling, and fever around the genitals — see a doctor urgently, as a rare but serious infection needs immediate treatment.

### What is the difference between dapagliflozin and empagliflozin?

They are both SGLT2 inhibitors that work the same basic way — making the kidneys pass out excess sugar — and both are used for type-2 diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease. The differences are small: they are made by different companies (Forxiga by AstraZeneca, Jardiance by Boehringer Ingelheim/Lilly), have slightly different approved indications and doses, and their price and availability differ. Your doctor chooses based on your specific conditions, what is available, and cost; for most people either works well.

### Are there cheaper generic versions of Forxiga in Nigeria?

Yes. Our copy of the NAFDAC Greenbook lists actively registered dapagliflozin generics, including Dapzin (Micro Nova Pharmaceuticals, made by Micro Labs, India) and Dapiflozin (Mega Lifesciences Nigeria, made by Inventia Healthcare, India), both in 5mg and 10mg tablets. Generics contain the same active ingredient and are typically much cheaper than imported Forxiga. There is also a registered dapagliflozin-plus-metformin combination tablet (Dapzin 5 M). Ask your pharmacist for a NAFDAC-registered generic and verify the number on the pack.

### Is Forxiga NAFDAC-registered in Nigeria?

In our copy of the NAFDAC Greenbook, the dapagliflozin registrations we find are under generic brand names such as Dapzin and Dapiflozin rather than under the name Forxiga. That does not by itself mean a Forxiga pack in a pharmacy is illegitimate — the register changes, and imported originator packs move through their own channels — but it does mean you should check the NAFDAC number printed on any pack you buy and confirm the record matches the product, whichever brand you choose.

### Does dapagliflozin cause weight loss?

A modest amount, as a side effect of how it works: the sugar you pass out in urine is lost calories, and most people lose around 2–3 kg over the first months, alongside a small drop in blood pressure. It is not a weight-loss drug, and the effect is far smaller than with GLP-1 medicines like semaglutide. If weight is your main concern, discuss the options with your doctor rather than using a diabetes tablet off-label.

### Is dapagliflozin hard on the kidneys?

The opposite, over time: dapagliflozin is one of the few medicines shown to slow the decline of kidney function in chronic kidney disease, which is why doctors now prescribe it to protect kidneys, including in some people without diabetes. A small dip in kidney readings (eGFR) in the first weeks is expected and usually settles — your doctor monitors this. What genuinely stresses the kidneys is dehydration, so keep drinking fluids, and pause the tablet during serious illness if your doctor has given you sick-day rules.

## Sources

- NAFDAC Greenbook (official register of approved products in Nigeria)
- British National Formulary (BNF)
- Nigerian Standard Treatment Guidelines (Federal Ministry of Health)