The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Thursday resumed full enforcement of the ban on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small plastic or glass bottles below 200 millilitres, insisting that no alcohol-producing company has been shut down and that the action is solely aimed at protecting children and other vulnerable groups from the harmful effects of alcohol.
The move follows a directive from the Nigerian Senate and is supported by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. NAFDAC said the enforcement aligns with its statutory mandate to safeguard Nigerians, particularly children, adolescents, and young adult from alcohol-related harm.
Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, dismissed reports that the agency had sealed factories, stressing that only specific packaging formats are affected.
“NAFDAC did not close down any company that makes alcohol. What we have banned is alcohol in sachets and in small containers below 200 millilitres,” Adeyeye said.
She explained that the widespread availability of high-alcohol-content beverages in sachets and small bottles has made alcohol cheap, easily accessible, and easily concealed, contributing to misuse among minors and some commercial drivers.
The trend, she noted, has been linked to rising cases of addiction, domestic violence, road traffic accidents, school dropouts, and other social vices across the country.
“This ban is not punitive; it is protective,” the NAFDAC chief said. “It is aimed at safeguarding the health and future of our children and youth by not allowing alcohol in small pack sizes”.
“According to the statement, decision is rooted in scientific evidence and public health considerations. We cannot continue to sacrifice the wellbeing of Nigerians for economic gain. The health of a nation is its true wealth.”
Adeyeye also rejected the idea that warning labels such as “Not for Children” could address underage consumption, noting that enforcement is impractical in the Nigerian context.
“Many parents do not know their children take alcohol in sachets because the pack is cheap and easily hidden,” she said.
“Reports from schools show that students hide sachet alcohol. A teacher recently reported that a student said he could not sit for an examination without first taking sachet alcohol.”
The Director-General reminded that the ban was not sudden, noting that manufacturers had been given several years to adjust production lines. In December 2018, NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with industry associations to phase out sachet and small-volume alcohol packaging by January 31, 2024. The moratorium was later extended to December 2025.
“The current Senate resolution aligns fully with the spirit and letter of that agreement,” Adeyeye said, adding that it also fulfills Nigeria’s commitment to the World Health Assembly Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol, which prioritizes protection of vulnerable populations.
She emphasized that NAFDAC continues to approve alcoholic beverages in larger pack sizes, as the policy aims to make alcohol less accessible to underage persons.
“The small size of sachets makes it easy for children to conceal alcohol from parents and teachers. Larger pack sizes do not,” she said.
NAFDAC reiterated that only two packaging formats are affected spirit drinks in sachets and small PET or glass bottles below 200 millilitres and warned that no further extension of the phase out deadline would be granted beyond December 2025.
The agency said it would continue to work with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, FCCPC, and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to intensify nationwide sensitization on the health and social dangers of alcohol misuse.
“NAFDAC remains resolute in ensuring that only safe, wholesome, and properly regulated products are available to Nigerians,” Adeyeye concluded.