How a global giant exploited African mothers and infants

Giant corps are well known for experimenting on unwilling participants. But one would think babies were off limits? Not for Nestlé chile.

Happy Black History Month, Brunchers! And Happy Super Bowl Sunday to Philly and KC fans, I hope my folks at home and in the city are having a good time? I know Cardi B is! Anyhow, I’ve known about the evils of Nestlé for too long, every one knows they essentially profit from buying up natural water springs (evil) but did you know about the baby formula crisis THEY are responsible for? Well buckle up sha, let’s get into it!

Nestlé, one of the world’s largest multinational corporations, built its reputation on the promise of nourishment and family health. But beneath its carefully curated image lies a dark history of corporate greed and exploitation none more infamous than its aggressive and unethical marketing of infant formula in parts of West, Central, East, and Southern Africa.

From the 1960s to the 1980s, Nestlé ran an elaborate campaign to convince mothers in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Côte d'Ivoire, among other nations, that formula was superior to breast milk. The company sent sales representatives disguised as nurses into hospitals and maternity wards, handed out free formula samples, and flooded the market with misleading advertisements.

For millions of women in urban centers like Lagos, Nairobi, Abidjan, and Kinshasa, where Western influence was growing, Nestlé’s message was clear: formula was modern, scientific, and better than breastfeeding. But for mothers in rural regions and informal settlements, where clean water and healthcare were scarce, the consequences of switching to formula were devastating.

Infants who relied on Nestlé’s formula suffered from malnutrition, disease, and dehydration, as many families unknowingly mixed powdered milk with contaminated water. When Nestlé’s free samples ran out, mothers who could not afford formula diluted it, further depriving their babies of essential nutrients. Thousands of children died as a result.

Nestlé’s formula campaign was not a random effort it was, a calculated business strategy, designed to tap into growing urban markets in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Particularly in regions where, breastfeeding rates were high, but urbanization was rapidly changing social norms, medical institutions had weak regulatory frameworks, allowing corporate influence to spread unchecked. Water and sanitation infrastructure was inadequate, meaning formula use would pose serious risks. Among the hardest-hit regions were:

West Africa: The Epicenter of Nestlé’s Formula Marketing

Countries like Nigeria, Ghana, and Côte d'Ivoirebecame primary targets due to their large populations, urban migration, and Westernization trends. In Nigeria’s capital, Lagos, Nestlé infiltrated hospitals, handing out free samples to new mothers. In the port city of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, Nestlé’s billboards portrayed wealthy, educated women using formula, reinforcing the idea that breastfeeding was old-fashioned. Rural women who traveled to cities for childbirth were influenced by doctors and sales representatives, only to return home unable to afford the formula they had been convinced to use.

Central Africa: The Spread Through Weak Healthcare Systems

In countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon, Nestlé’s tactics thrived in underfunded healthcare systems. Hospitals in Kinshasa and Yaoundé, often reliant on foreign aid, were eager to accept Nestlé’s partnerships, allowing the company to distribute **formula samples directly in maternity wards. Many Congolese mothers, struggling with poverty and displacement due to political instability, were easily persuaded that formula was a safer option only to find themselves unable to afford it after the free supply ended.

East Africa: Urbanization and the Shift Away from Breastfeeding

In Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, Nestlé leveraged the rise of Western-style hospitals and medical institutions. In Nairobi, new mothers in maternity clinics were given Nestlé-sponsored pamphlets suggesting that breastfeeding alone was not enough for infant growth. Women in Dar es Salaam reported that hospital staff encouraged formula use, reinforcing the idea that it was medically superior. Mothers in rural Kenya, where traditional breastfeeding knowledge was strong, were less influenced but in urban slums, where Western influence was growing, formula use increased dramatically.

Southern Africa: Apartheid, Economic Disparities, and Formula Dependence

South Africa’s apartheid-era economic and racial inequalities created the perfect conditions for Nestlé’s formula push. Black South African women, particularly in Johannesburg’s townships, were led to believe that **formula was what wealthy, white women used for their babies. Nestlé’s marketing played into aspirations of economic mobility, reinforcing the idea that breastfeeding was a “rural” or “poor” practice. In Zimbabwe and Zambia, formula was aggressively marketed in private hospitals catering to middle class families, while public hospitals struggled with malnutrition-related infant deaths.

The results of Nestlé’s campaign were tragic, particularly in **low-income communities, informal settlements, and refugee camps where clean water was scarce.

In Lagos, Nigeria, public health officials recorded an increase in infant deaths due to waterborne diseases, as mothers unknowingly mixed formula with contaminated water. In Kinshasa, DRC, malnutrition cases spiked in neighborhoods where Nestlé’s formula had replaced traditional breastfeeding.

Even in wealthier African nations, the economic burden of formula pushed families into financial ruin. Many mothers resorted to diluting formula to make it last longer, causing severe nutritional deficiencies. By the 1970s, thousands of infants had died due to malnutrition, dehydration, and preventable infections linked to formula use. But Nestlé refused to take responsibility.

By the late 1970s, the world took notice. Health organizations, journalists, and activists exposed Nestlé’s predatory tactics, and in 1977, an international boycott was launched against the company. Led by groups like INFACT (Infant Formula Action Coalition), the boycott put pressure on Western consumers to stop buying Nestlé products. The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF intervened, leading to the creation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes in 1981, which banned free samples and deceptive advertising.

Despite this, Nestlé continued its unethical marketing in Africa well into the 2000s, exploiting loopholes and weak regulations. Reports from Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa revealed that Nestlé was still pushing formula in hospitals, pressuring doctors to promote it, and undermining breastfeeding campaigns.

Nestlé’s infant formula scandal left deep scars across Africa. The deception, malnutrition, and infant deaths exposed the dangers of corporate greed in the Global South.

Even today, formula companies continue to push their products aggressively, particularly in urban centers where breastfeeding rates are declining. But activists, governments, and global health organizations continue to fight back, promoting breastfeeding as the healthiest, safest choice for infants.

Nestlé’s history may be buried beneath its modern branding, but the mothers and children who suffered from its lies must never be forgotten. The fight for corporate accountability is far from over. Given our current political climate, I urge you to consider that you are the power, and greedy corporations need to be held accountable. I’ll see you next time!