Dexamethasone is a potent corticosteroid — a synthetic version of the body's own stress hormone, cortisol. It works by damping down inflammation and calming an overactive immune system, and it is one of the strongest and longest-acting steroids in common use: roughly 25 to 30 times more powerful, milligram for milligram, than hydrocortisone. In Nigeria it is available as tablets, an injection, and eye drops, and our copy of the NAFDAC register lists many active registrations, a good number of them made locally.
In the NAFDAC register
122 registered products
from 86 registration holders
+2 more countries
What it costs online
about ₦3,470
≈₦694 per ml (drops)
Sampled from 3 listings across MedPlus and Supermart.ng · August 2026
Full price breakdown →Brands of Dexamethasone in Nigeria
Comes as
- Tablet0.5 mg· 35 makers1 mg· 6 makers
- Eye drops0.1%· 4 makers
- Injection4 mg/mL· 4 makers
- Solution for injection4 mg/mL· 3 makers
In combinations: Dexamethasone + Neomycin + Polymyxin B Sulfate · Dexamethasone + Neomycin
Those 122 products from 86 registration holders include combination products and older listings; below are the most common brands.
| Brand Name | Manufacturer | Strength | Form | NAFDAC Reg. No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cika Dexamethasone | Michelle Laboratories Limited | 0.5mg | Tablet | A11-100226 |
| Arcadia 1mg | Evergreen Morning Star Pharmaceuticals | 1mg | Tablet | A11-100347 |
| Festdexadon | Manfes Pharmaceutical Company Limited | 0.5mg | Tablet | 04-8779 |
 | Dortemag Ventures Limited | 4mg/ml | Injection | 04-4167 |
Dexamethasone Price in Nigeria
As of August 2026, Dexamethasone sells for about ₦3,470 online in Nigeria (₦1,900–₦4,375) across MedPlus and Supermart.ng. That figure is for Ivydexone; 55 other dexamethasone brands are NAFDAC-registered and generic versions usually cost less. Open-market prices (e.g. Idumota, Ogbogwu) are often lower.
Online retail (sampled)
₦1,900 for 5ml
₦4,375 for 5ml
Same 0.1% Dexamethasone — 2.3× the price for an identical pack, so the difference is the brand.
median ₦3,470 · 3 listings
CheapestIVYDEXONE EYE DROP 5ML(MedPlus)
₦1,900PriciestIvydexone Eye Drops 5 ml(Supermart.ng)
₦4,3753 listings across MedPlus + Supermart.ng — brands and pack sizes vary · August 2026.
drops: about ₦694 per ml (₦380–₦875), from the 3 listings that state a pack size.
First tracked August 2026.
How to Verify Your Dexamethasone is Genuine
- 1Check the NAFDAC registration number on the pack — for example, Cika Dexamethasone (Michelle Laboratories) carries A11-100226 in our copy of the register.
- 2Verify any dexamethasone brand's number with our NAFDAC checker before paying.
- 3Be very cautious of anyone selling dexamethasone tablets or injections as an 'appetite' or 'weight-gain' product, or of unlabelled mixtures said to contain 'dexa' — this is a common and harmful misuse.
- 4Buy only from a registered pharmacy and only on a prescription; inspect the batch number, expiry date and packaging.
- 5A NAFDAC-registered, locally made dexamethasone verified through the register is genuine — but genuine does not mean safe to take without a doctor's direction.
Where to Buy
Buying Dexamethasone by the carton
Cartons are bought at Nigeria's four open drug markets. Each guide names the sellers there you can contact, and how to buy safely:
No shop we list has Dexamethasone on its confirmed product list yet — the market guides still tell you where the trade happens and how to buy there safely.
Wherever you buy, buy only from licensed pharmacies and verified distributors — not roadside vendors — and verify the pack's NAFDAC registration before you pay. Buying Dexamethasone in bulk or for resale? See how to buy medicines in bulk in Nigeria safely.
Need Dexamethasone in bulk, or can't find it near you?
Tell us what you need and we'll connect you with a verified, NAFDAC-registered source.
What is Dexamethasone?
Used properly, dexamethasone is a genuinely life-saving medicine. It is on the WHO Essential Medicines List, it reduces deaths in severe COVID-19 and other patients who need oxygen, it relieves dangerous swelling around the brain, and it controls severe asthma attacks, serious allergic reactions, and flare-ups of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In hospitals it is also used to treat croup in children and to prevent the nausea of chemotherapy.
But dexamethasone is also one of the most misused medicines in Nigeria. Because it increases appetite and causes the body to hold water, it is sold and taken — often as cheap tablets or injections, without prescription — as an 'appetite booster' or a 'body-building'/weight-gain aid, and it is sometimes added to unlabelled 'pain' or 'strength' mixtures. This is dangerous. Prolonged or unsupervised steroid use causes a swollen 'moon' face, uncontrolled blood sugar and diabetes, high blood pressure, thinned bones, stomach ulcers, serious infections, and a body that can no longer make its own cortisol — so that stopping suddenly can be life-threatening. Dexamethasone should only ever be taken under medical direction.
What is Dexamethasone used for?
In Nigeria, Dexamethasone is commonly used for:
- Severe asthma attacks and serious allergic reactions
- Severe COVID-19 and other patients requiring oxygen or ventilation (hospital use)
- Reducing raised pressure and swelling around the brain (cerebral oedema)
- Flare-ups of inflammatory and autoimmune conditions (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, some kidney and skin diseases)
- Croup (laryngotracheobronchitis) in children
- Preventing and treating chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
- Certain hormone (endocrine) disorders and diagnostic tests
- Inflammatory eye conditions (eye-drop form, under specialist care)
Dosage
IMPORTANT
Always follow your doctor's or pharmacist's instructions. The information below is for general reference only.
Adults
The dose of dexamethasone varies enormously with the condition — from 0.5mg to many milligrams a day — so there is no single 'standard' dose, and it must be set by a doctor. As a well-known example, severe COVID-19 is treated with 6mg once daily for up to 10 days in hospital. Tablets are taken with food to protect the stomach. Where a course runs beyond a week or two, the dose is usually tapered down gradually rather than stopped suddenly, to let the body's own cortisol production recover.
Children
Dexamethasone is used in children only under medical supervision — for example a single weight-based dose for croup (commonly 0.15mg per kg). Doses are calculated by a doctor against the child's weight and condition. Steroids can affect a child's growth with prolonged use, so they are used at the lowest effective dose for the shortest time.
Elderly
Older adults are more prone to steroid side effects — diabetes, high blood pressure, bone thinning and fractures, and infection. Doses are kept as low as possible, and blood pressure, blood sugar and bone health are monitored during longer courses.
Never start or stop dexamethasone on your own. Take it with food, ideally in the morning, and carry information that you are on steroids if the course is prolonged — abruptly stopping after weeks of use can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure and collapse (an 'adrenal crisis'). Do not use dexamethasone to gain weight or boost appetite; the weight it adds is fluid and fat with serious health costs, and the practice is a well-documented cause of harm in Nigeria.
Side Effects
Common side effects
- •Increased appetite and weight gain
- •Fluid retention and swelling
- •Raised blood sugar
- •Difficulty sleeping, restlessness or mood changes
- •Indigestion and stomach discomfort
- •Raised blood pressure
Serious side effects — seek medical help immediately
- New or worsened diabetes
- Serious or masked infections — steroids blunt the body's response, so infections (including TB) can flare or hide
- Stomach or intestinal ulcers and bleeding, especially combined with NSAIDs
- Thinning of the bones (osteoporosis) and fractures with prolonged use
- Cushing's syndrome — moon face, fatty hump, thin skin and easy bruising from excess steroid
- Adrenal suppression — a life-threatening inability to respond to stress if the drug is stopped suddenly after prolonged use
- Psychiatric effects (severe mood swings, confusion, psychosis) and, with the eye drops or long courses, glaucoma and cataract
When to see a doctor
Seek medical care for signs of infection (fever, severe sore throat, spreading redness) while on steroids, for symptoms of high blood sugar (excessive thirst, frequent urination), for black stools or vomiting blood, or for severe mood changes or confusion. Never stop a prolonged course abruptly — if you have been on dexamethasone for weeks and feel faint, weak or very unwell, get urgent help and tell them you are taking steroids.
Warnings & Precautions
Do not take Dexamethasone if you have:
- Systemic (whole-body) fungal infection
- Live vaccines while on immune-suppressing doses
- Known allergy to dexamethasone
- Use with great caution — not absolute bars — in uncontrolled diabetes, active infection including tuberculosis, peptic ulcer disease, and uncontrolled hypertension
Drug interactions
- •NSAIDs (ibuprofen, diclofenac, piroxicam) and aspirin — greatly increased risk of stomach ulcers and bleeding
- •Diabetes medicines — dexamethasone raises blood sugar and can undo their effect; doses may need adjusting
- •Blood-pressure and 'water' tablets — steroids cause fluid retention and can raise blood pressure and lower potassium
- •Warfarin — steroids can alter its effect; monitor INR
- •Rifampicin, phenytoin and carbamazepine — speed up the breakdown of dexamethasone, reducing its effect
- •Live vaccines — should not be given during immunosuppressive steroid treatment
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Dexamethasone is used in pregnancy for specific, important reasons — most notably to speed a premature baby's lung development before an early delivery — always under specialist care. For ordinary conditions in pregnancy, other steroids that cross the placenta less (such as prednisolone) are often preferred. Small amounts pass into breast milk; short courses are generally considered compatible with breastfeeding. All use in pregnancy and breastfeeding should be doctor-directed.
Related Resources for Dexamethasone
Guides, articles, and tools related to Dexamethasone and other respiratory medicines in Nigeria.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
- •NAFDAC Greenbook — the official database of all products registered with Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. Brand-level NAFDAC numbers for Dexamethasone on this page were cross-referenced against the Greenbook.
- •WHO Model List of Essential Medicines — Dexamethasone is included in the WHO's list of essential medicines, meaning it is considered essential for basic healthcare needs.
- •British National Formulary (BNF) dosing and interaction guidance for Dexamethasone.
- •Nigerian Standard Treatment Guidelines (Federal Ministry of Health).
Daily puzzle: Meddle — pair five brands with their medicines. New game at midnight.