QNET, a direct selling company focused on wellness, lifestyle and luxury product, has dismissed over 400 independent representatives across 22 countries as part of a sweeping effort to separate its operations from fraud and illegal schemes linked to its brand in Africa.

The company said the crackdown was aimed at restoring public trust and protecting vulnerable Nigerians from fake job offers, visa rackets and investment scams wrongly associated with the company’s name.

The Regional Manager for Sub Saharan Africa, Cheriff Abdoulaye, disclosed this at a media briefing in Lagos.

According to him, the dismissed representatives were found to have violated the company’s code of conduct by misrepresenting its business model to the public.

He said the anti scam drive recently earned the company an international award in 2025 and forms part of a broader campaign to reposition the brand away from fraudulent activities that continue to plague Africa’s direct selling sector.

Abdoulaye added that QNET had also launched a financial literacy programme, Fingreen, which has so far trained over 1,500 young Nigerians on money management and how to avoid financial scams.

He said misinformation and desperation among job seekers had deepened the fraud problem, particularly among young people searching for opportunities abroad.

Figures, he said, show Africa’s youth unemployment stands at about 8.9 percent, with Nigeria contributing significantly to the statistics.

He described direct selling as an alternative income stream capable of cushioning job losses, but warned that the industry would continue to suffer reputational damage unless stronger regulation and enforcement were introduced.

“Qnet also advocates for robust frameworks, mandatory product registration, codes of conduct and penalties for misrepresentation.”

We understand that without these, ethical companies like ours are undermined and ambitious individuals are preyed upon. We envision a regulated landscape that foster trust much like mature markets in Asia and Europe in order to unlock Africa share of this book sector because today actually Africa is a continent where we predominantly are facing this issue of misrepresentation and people who are using our time to scam naive population and consumers so basically this vision is born of economic necessity”, he said.

Also speaking, the General Manager of QNET Nigeria, Mr Ayokunmi Sholesi, said the Lagos expo was partly designed to expose Nigerians to the company’s physical products and counter claims that the firm operates as a pyramid scheme.

“We sell products. We do not pay commissions without product sales. We are not a recruitment business,” he said.

He said QNET has operated globally for 27 years and is active in nearly 100 countries, adding that its partnership with its Nigerian affiliate, Transblue, was central to expanding its local footprint.

QNET’s Regional Strategy and Marketing Manager for Sub Saharan Africa, Bernie Gaksch, attributed the company’s expansion drive to the rapid growth in the global wellness market, driven by rising health concerns among young people.

He said global demand for wellness products was projected to rise sharply by 2026 as stress, pollution and lifestyle diseases push more consumers towards alternative health solutions.

He said the global wellness market, currently valued at about $150 million in 2020, is projected to grow to $373 million by 2026, largely driven by Generation Z’s growing interest in sleep quality, mental wellness and environmental health.

According to him, increasing pollution and stress from technology use have combined to create a demand for products that support both physical and emotional wellbeing.

He explained that exposures to radiations, microwaves, radio waves from connected devices could inflict health challenges on subscribers, but noted that such challenges would be mitigated with the use of different types of QNET Products to be introduced to the Nigerian markets.

Gaksch explained that QNET’s flagship wellness product, Amezcua bio disc 3 was designed to improve hydration by restructuring water molecules for better absorption in the body.

“Structured water reaches vital organs faster and improves hydration and skin elasticity. This becomes important as the body loses water content with age”, he said.

He noted that Amezcua chi pendant 4 would improve all the harmonization of all energy points in the body and Amezcua E-Guard for protection against phone radiation.

He added that the latest version of the biodisc can last up to 30 years, improving on earlier versions with shorter lifespans, and offering consumers long term value for money.

His presentation also highlighted reports of improved muscle recovery, better sleep, enhanced skin hydration and general wellbeing among users of QNET wellness products.

Gaksch said the company’s products were backed by research collaborations and certifications from scientists and institutions in Russia, Germany and Nigeria, including Covenant University, as well as studies associated with space research programmes (THE NATION)