Norethisterone is a synthetic progestogen — a man-made version of progesterone, the hormone of the second half of the menstrual cycle. Taken as a tablet it holds the lining of the womb in place, which is why it can postpone a period, stop a heavy bleed and bring order to irregular cycles; given as a long-acting injection (norethisterone enantate) it suppresses ovulation and thickens cervical mucus, which is why it works as a two-monthly contraceptive.
In the NAFDAC register
2 registered products
from 1 registration holder
What it costs online
Price varies — check with a pharmacy. This drug has not yet appeared in our fortnightly sampling of Nigerian online pharmacies.
Brands of Norethisterone in Nigeria
Those 2 products from 1 registration holder, counted in our October 2026 copy of the register, include combination products and older listings; below are the most common brands.
| Brand Name | Manufacturer | Strength | Form | NAFDAC Reg. No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primolut N | Bayer Nigeria Limited | 5 mg | Tablet | 04-5063 |
| Noristerat | Bayer Nigeria Limited | 200 mg/mL (norethisterone enantate) | Injection | 04-5715 |
Norethisterone Price in Nigeria
Our sampled online pharmacies held no norethisterone listing this cycle, so we quote no price. Primolut N is an imported Bayer product and priced as one; a pack of 30 tablets covers a two-week period-delay course or a ten-day course for heavy bleeding. Noristerat injections are given in family-planning clinics, often free or at a token fee through the public programme. Ask a licensed pharmacy for the current price and check the NAFDAC number before paying.
We show a price here once it appears in our monthly sampling of Nigerian online pharmacies (MedPlus, HealthPlus), or when we have a reliable market figure. For now, confirm the current price directly with a licensed pharmacy.
How to Verify Your Norethisterone is Genuine
- 1Check the pack for its NAFDAC registration number. In our copy of the register Primolut N 5 mg tablets carry 04-5063 and Noristerat 200 mg/mL injection carries 04-5715, both held by Bayer Nigeria Limited; Noristerat is recorded Active and Primolut N Inactive since 2026 — confirm it on the official Greenbook
- 2Primolut N's registration falls due for renewal in late September 2026 in our copy, so a lapse may appear between register refreshes — confirm the current status on the official Greenbook if the checker shows anything other than Active
- 3Enter the number in our free NAFDAC checker and confirm the product name, strength and holder match the pack
- 4Primolut N is an imported, well-known brand, which makes it a counterfeit target: buy from a registered pharmacy, check that the blister foil carries the Bayer name and a batch number matching the box, and be suspicious of loose strips
Where to Buy
Buying Norethisterone wholesale, by the carton
Cartons of norethisterone are bought at Nigeria's open drug markets: Idumota Market in Lagos, Ariaria Market in Aba, Ogbogwu Market in Onitsha and Sabon Gari Market in Kano. Each guide says where the market is and how to buy there safely; where we list sellers, they are named.
- Idumota Market, Lagos · wholesale sellers in Idumota Market
- Ariaria Market, Aba
- Ogbogwu Market, Onitsha
- Sabon Gari Market, Kano
No shop we list has Norethisterone on its confirmed product list yet — the market guides still tell you where the trade happens and how to buy there safely.
Which one are you?
I'm buying norethisterone
Tell us what you need and the quantity, and we'll connect you with a verified, NAFDAC-registered source. Free, no obligation.
I sell norethisterone
Get a free page where buyers look for them: your products, your number, how to find your shop. Independent of NAFDAC and government. Nothing goes live until you have seen it and approved it. Why list? →
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 Norethisterone in bulk or for resale? See how to buy medicines in bulk in Nigeria safely.
Need Norethisterone 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 Norethisterone?
Nigeria knows it under two Bayer names. Primolut N, the 5 mg tablet, is registered under 04-5063, recorded Inactive in our October 2026 copy of the NAFDAC register — its registration lapsed in 2026, a renewal matter for Bayer rather than proof a pack is fake; it is still what a pharmacist reaches for when a woman asks for 'the tablet to delay my period'. Noristerat, the 200 mg/mL injection, is registered under 04-5715, also Active, and is given every eight weeks in family-planning clinics as an alternative to the three-monthly Depo-Provera. Norethisterone enantate injection is on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines as a hormonal contraceptive.
One confusion causes real harm: Primolut N tablets are not a contraceptive. Taking them to delay a period does not prevent pregnancy, and taking them when already pregnant exposes the baby to a hormone it should not meet. Any woman who could be pregnant should rule that out before starting them, and anyone who wants contraception needs Noristerat, the pill, an implant or an IUD — not the tablets.
What is Norethisterone used for?
In Nigeria, Norethisterone is commonly used for:
- Postponing menstruation for a specific occasion
- Heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia) and dysfunctional uterine bleeding — stopping an acute bleed, then regulating cycles
- Secondary amenorrhoea (periods that have stopped) and irregular cycles, as a withdrawal-bleed test and treatment
- Endometriosis pain and premenstrual syndrome, under specialist care
- Contraception (Noristerat injection) — one injection every eight weeks
Dosage
IMPORTANT
Always follow your doctor's or pharmacist's instructions. The information below is for general reference only.
Adults
To delay a period: one 5 mg tablet three times a day, starting three days before the period is expected, continued for as long as the delay is needed (usually up to 10 to 14 days); bleeding normally starts two to three days after the last tablet. For heavy or prolonged bleeding: 5 mg three times a day for 10 days, which usually stops the bleed within 48 hours and is followed by a withdrawal bleed; a doctor may then prescribe 5 mg twice daily from day 19 to day 26 of the next three cycles. For absent periods: 5 mg two to three times daily for 10 days. Noristerat: 200 mg by deep intramuscular injection every eight weeks, the first within the first five days of a period.
Children
Not for use before periods have started. Heavy or irregular bleeding in a teenager needs a gynaecology opinion first; the same tablet doses are then used as in adults.
Elderly
Not applicable after the menopause except under a specialist for specific conditions.
Rule out pregnancy before starting the tablets — a period that is late is a reason for a pregnancy test, not for Primolut N. The tablets are not contraception and do not protect against pregnancy during the days they are taken. Do not use the delay course more than occasionally: repeatedly manipulating the cycle masks problems and is not how heavy bleeding should be managed long term. Take the tablets at evenly spaced times; a missed dose can bring on breakthrough bleeding.
Side Effects
General information for a reader holding a pack, not a substitute for a doctor or pharmacist. If something on the serious list is happening, seek care now.
Common side effects
- •Bloating, fluid retention and breast tenderness
- •Headache, nausea, mood changes or irritability
- •Spotting or breakthrough bleeding, especially if doses are missed
- •Acne, greasy skin; tiredness; reduced libido
- •With Noristerat: irregular bleeding in the first months, then lighter or absent periods; weight gain; a delay of several months in return of fertility after stopping
Serious side effects — seek medical help immediately
- A blood clot — pain and swelling in one calf, sudden breathlessness or chest pain, a severe sudden headache or visual loss — stop and seek help immediately
- Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), severe upper abdominal pain, generalised itching: possible liver effect
- Migraine with aura appearing for the first time, or a sudden rise in blood pressure
- Allergic reaction: rash, hives, swelling of the face or lips
When to see a doctor
Seek help the same day for calf pain, chest pain, breathlessness, a sudden severe headache, loss of vision or jaundice. See a doctor if heavy bleeding has not slowed within 48 hours of starting the tablets, if bleeding recurs as soon as the course ends, or if you have needed the tablets more than two or three times in a year — heavy bleeding has causes (fibroids, polyps, thyroid and clotting problems) that a progestogen does not treat.
Warnings & Precautions
General information for a reader holding a pack, not a substitute for a doctor or pharmacist. If something on the serious list is happening, seek care now.
Do not take Norethisterone if you have:
- Pregnancy, or a pregnancy that has not been ruled out; undiagnosed vaginal bleeding
- A current or previous blood clot (deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism), stroke or heart attack
- Severe liver disease, liver tumours, or jaundice in a previous pregnancy
- Current or past breast cancer or other hormone-sensitive cancer
- Inherited porphyria; known allergy to norethisterone
- For Noristerat as contraception: the same, plus it is not usually started within the first six weeks after childbirth if breastfeeding
Drug interactions
- •Enzyme-inducing medicines — rifampicin and rifabutin, carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, efavirenz and nevirapine, St John's wort — speed up its breakdown and can cause breakthrough bleeding or, with Noristerat, contraceptive failure
- •Ciclosporin — norethisterone can raise its levels
- •Some HIV protease inhibitors and hepatitis C antivirals alter progestogen levels; check with the prescriber
- •Antidiabetic medicines — progestogens can slightly raise blood sugar
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Do not take norethisterone tablets in pregnancy: it is converted partly to oestrogen-like and androgen-like compounds and has been linked to masculinisation of a female baby at high doses. A missed period is a reason for a pregnancy test before any period-delay course. While breastfeeding, the tablets are generally avoided at the doses used for bleeding; the Noristerat injection can be started from six weeks after birth in a breastfeeding mother, as the family-planning programme does.
Related Resources for Norethisterone
Guides, articles, and tools related to Norethisterone and other reproductive health 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 Norethisterone on this page were cross-referenced against the Greenbook.
- •WHO Model List of Essential Medicines — Norethisterone 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 Norethisterone.
- •Nigerian Standard Treatment Guidelines (Federal Ministry of Health).
Daily puzzle: Meddle — pair five brands with their medicines. New game at midnight.