The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has resumed enforcement of its ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and in plastic or glass bottles below 200 millilitres, dismissing claims that the action involved the shutdown of alcohol-producing companies.
The agency clarified that its renewed enforcement strictly targets the packaging and sale of alcohol in small sachets and containers, stressing that the measure is driven by public health concerns rather than punitive intentions.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, said the enforcement followed a resolution of the Senate and aligns with the agency’s statutory mandate to protect public health, particularly among children, adolescents and young adults.
“The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has resumed enforcement of the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small-volume PET or glass bottles below 200ml, in line with a resolution of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Agency’s public health mandate,” the statement read.
NAFDAC explained that the widespread circulation of high-alcohol-content drinks in sachets and small containers has made alcohol cheap, easily accessible and easily concealed, a situation it said has fuelled underage drinking, addiction, domestic violence, road traffic accidents, school dropouts and other social vices.
Adeyeye said previous attempts to curb abuse through warning labels had failed, noting that messages such as “Not for children” were ineffective within prevailing social conditions.
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“Many parents do not even know their children consume sachet alcohol because the pack size is small, cheap and easily concealed,” she said.
She further revealed that reports from schools had exposed worrying behavioural patterns among students, including an incident where a teacher reported that a pupil claimed he could not sit for an examination without first consuming sachet alcohol.
NAFDAC recalled that in December 2018, it entered into a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, alongside manufacturers, to phase out sachet and small-volume alcohol packaging by January 31, 2024.
The agency said the deadline was later extended to December 2025 to allow manufacturers to exhaust existing stock and adjust their production processes.
“The current Senate resolution aligns with the spirit and letter of that agreement and with Nigeria’s commitment to the World Health Assembly Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol,” Adeyeye said.
She stressed that the enforcement was not intended to punish manufacturers but to protect vulnerable populations.
“This ban is not punitive; it is protective. It is aimed at safeguarding the health and future of our children and youth by not allowing alcohol in small pack sizes.
“The decision is rooted in scientific evidence and public health considerations. We cannot continue to sacrifice the well-being of Nigerians for economic gain. The health of a nation is its true wealth.”
Adeyeye reiterated that the directive applies only to spirit drinks packaged in sachets and small PET or glass bottles below 200ml, adding that alcoholic beverages in larger containers remain approved by the agency.
The renewed enforcement has, however, triggered reactions from industry groups, labour unions and other stakeholders. The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, along with organisations such as the Food and Beverage Tobacco Outgrowers and Bottlers (FOBTOB), criticised the move, describing it as inconsistent and economically harmful.
On January 23, members of the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria, the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress staged a protest at NAFDAC’s Lagos office, warning that the policy could lead to the loss of no fewer than 5.5 million jobs.
Some protesters argued that the ban fails to strike a balance between public health objectives and economic realities, especially in a country where sachet spirits are widely consumed by low-income earners.
Despite the opposition, NAFDAC urged manufacturers, distributors and retailers to comply fully with the directive, insisting that no further extensions would be granted beyond December 2025.
The agency said it would continue to work with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the FCCPC and the National Orientation Agency to intensify public awareness campaigns on the dangers of alcohol misuse.
NAFDAC reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that only safe, wholesome and properly regulated products are available to Nigerians.
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