# Dexamethasone in Nigeria

Dexamethasone has 64 active NAFDAC registrations in our October 2026 copy of the register, from 53 registration holders; 58 further listings have lapsed.

- Source: https://ogbogwu.com/drugs/dexamethasone/
- Drug class: Glucocorticoid (corticosteroid) (Respiratory)
- Also known as: Dexa, Decadron, Dexamethasone sodium phosphate
- Prescription required: yes
- On the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines
- Last updated: October 2026

## Price in Nigeria

As of October 2026, Dexamethasone sells for about ₦2,500 for drops online in Nigeria (Ocudex) at three online pharmacies; tablets ₦1,090. The online price is roughly unchanged since August 2026. That figure is for Ocudex; 54 other dexamethasone brands are NAFDAC-registered and generic versions usually cost less. Open-market prices (e.g. Idumota, Ogbogwu) are often lower.

## What is Dexamethasone?

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.

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?

- 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

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

- 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: 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 (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

Do not take if: 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.

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.

## Brands in Nigeria

Well-known NAFDAC-registered brands: Cika Dexamethasone (Michelle Laboratories Limited, made in Nigeria); Arcadia 1mg (Evergreen Morning Star Pharmaceuticals, made in Nigeria); Festdexadon (Manfes Pharmaceutical Company Limited, made in India); Ivydexone (Dortemag Ventures Limited, made in Kenya).
Full searchable brand list: https://ogbogwu.com/drugs/dexamethasone/brands/

## How to verify it is genuine

1. Check the NAFDAC registration number on the pack — for example, Cika Dexamethasone (Michelle Laboratories) carries A11-100226 in our copy of the register.
2. Verify any dexamethasone brand's number with our NAFDAC checker before paying.
3. Be 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.
4. Buy only from a registered pharmacy and only on a prescription; inspect the batch number, expiry date and packaging.
5. A NAFDAC-registered, locally made dexamethasone verified through the register is genuine — but genuine does not mean safe to take without a doctor's direction.

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

## FAQs

### What is dexamethasone used for?

Dexamethasone is a strong steroid used to control serious inflammation and calm an overactive immune system. Its uses include severe asthma and allergic reactions, severe COVID-19 and other patients needing oxygen, swelling around the brain, flare-ups of arthritis and autoimmune diseases, croup in children, and chemotherapy-related nausea. It is a powerful, prescription-only medicine — not something to take casually for aches or to gain weight.

### Is it safe to use dexamethasone to gain weight or boost appetite?

No — this is one of the most dangerous common misuses of medicine in Nigeria. Dexamethasone increases appetite and makes the body hold water, so it appears to 'add flesh', but the gain is fluid and fat that comes with diabetes, high blood pressure, a swollen moon face, thinned bones, ulcers, serious infections and a body that stops making its own cortisol. People have been seriously harmed this way. Weight should be built through food and health, never through steroids.

### What is the difference between dexamethasone and prednisolone?

Both are corticosteroids, but dexamethasone is much more potent and longer-acting — about 6 to 7 times stronger than prednisolone dose-for-dose — and it causes less fluid retention, which is why it is chosen for brain swelling and severe COVID-19. Prednisolone is often preferred for longer-term conditions and in pregnancy. They are not interchangeable milligram for milligram, and switching between them should only be done by a doctor.

### Can I stop taking dexamethasone suddenly?

Not if you have been taking it for more than a short course. Prolonged steroid use switches off the body's own cortisol production, and stopping abruptly can cause a dangerous 'adrenal crisis' — severe weakness, low blood pressure and collapse. A doctor will taper the dose down gradually so your body can take over again. A few days of treatment can usually be stopped without tapering, but always follow the prescriber's instructions.

### Does dexamethasone raise blood sugar?

Yes — like all steroids, dexamethasone raises blood sugar, and it can unmask or worsen diabetes. People with diabetes often find their sugars climb during a course and may need their diabetes treatment adjusted temporarily. Anyone on dexamethasone for more than a short time should have their blood sugar checked, and symptoms like excessive thirst and frequent urination should be reported to a doctor.

## Sources

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