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 small plastic or glass bottles below 200 millilitres, citing escalating public health and social concerns.
Clarifying the development, the agency said no alcohol manufacturing company had been shut down, stressing that the action is limited to prohibiting the sale of alcohol in sachets and undersized containers.
In a statement issued on Thursday, NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, said the renewed enforcement was driven by the need to curb harmful alcohol consumption, 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,” Adeyeye said.
NAFDAC noted that the proliferation of high-alcohol-content drinks in small, inexpensive and easily concealable packaging has significantly lowered the barrier to access, fuelling underage drinking, addiction, domestic violence, road traffic accidents, school dropouts and other social vices.
According to Adeyeye, warning labels such as “Not for children” have failed to curb misuse due to prevailing social realities.
“Many parents do not even know their children consume sachet alcohol because the pack size is small, cheap and easily concealed,” she said.
She disclosed that reports from schools have revealed troubling patterns, including a recent incident in which a student reportedly told a teacher he could not sit for an examination without first consuming sachet alcohol.
The agency recalled that in December 2018, it entered into a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with alcohol manufacturers, alongside the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, to phase out sachet and small-volume alcohol packaging by January 31, 2024.
The moratorium was later extended to December 2025 to allow manufacturers to exhaust existing inventory and adjust production lines.
Adeyeye said the renewed enforcement aligns with both the Senate’s resolution and Nigeria’s international commitments.
“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,” she said.
Emphasising that the policy is preventive rather than punitive, the NAFDAC boss said the agency’s priority remains public welfare.
“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.”
NAFDAC said it would sustain collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the FCCPC and the National Orientation Agency to deepen nationwide sensitisation on the dangers of alcohol misuse.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that only safe, wholesome and properly regulated products are available to Nigerians.
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