The National Chairman of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, Pharm. Ambrose Ezeh, has criticized the Federal Government’s decision to reverse the ban on the production and retail distribution of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small-volume containers below 200 millilitres.
In a statement he personally signed, Ezeh described the move as a setback for public health regulation and child protection efforts in Nigeria.
He noted that the original directive, issued by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, was based on evidence-driven harm-reduction strategies.
According to him, a five-year Memorandum of Understanding was reached with industry operators in December 2018 to phase out sachet and small-volume alcohol packaging by January 31, 2024.
The deadline was later extended to December 2025 to allow manufacturers to adjust production and distribution systems in line with public health standards.
Ezeh argued that alcohol misuse remains a major public health challenge in Nigeria, citing data linking it to a significant proportion of preventable deaths and road traffic accidents.
He said alcohol-related illnesses, including liver disease and certain cancers, as well as fatal crashes, continue to impose heavy social and economic burdens on the country.
He identified the affordability and portability of sachet alcohol as key factors encouraging underage drinking and frequent consumption among vulnerable groups.
According to him, small-volume packaging lowers barriers to access and makes concealment easier, thereby undermining efforts to restrict minors’ exposure to alcohol.
The ACPN chairman also expressed concern over what he described as growing industry pressure to reframe the debate around affordability and consumer choice, warning that such arguments could place commercial interests above public health considerations.
Ezeh maintained that the prohibition of sachet alcohol represents more than a symbolic regulation, insisting that effective alcohol control must prioritize child protection, regulatory consistency, and evidence-based policy.
He added that relying solely on warning labels and age restrictions without stronger supply-side controls may not yield meaningful behavioural change.
The pharmacist further warned that policy inconsistencies could weaken confidence in regulatory institutions, urging authorities to place public health and the protection of children at the centre of national decision-making.
Reporting By Niran Odufayo