National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has launched a nationwide enforcement of the ban on the production and sale of alcohol packaged in sachets and small PET bottles.
Gatekeepers News reports that the move comes after the Nigerian Senate directed the agency to end the production of such alcoholic beverages across the country by December 2025.
The directive followed a motion by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, representing Cross River South, who argued that restricting sachet alcohol aligns with global standards and international best practices aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm, particularly among young people. In response, NAFDAC confirmed that the enforcement of the ban has now officially begun.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos on Wednesday, NAFDAC Director-General Mojisola Adeyeye explained that the enforcement is primarily to protect public health and vulnerable groups.
“The proliferation of high-alcohol-content beverages in sachets and small containers has made such products easily accessible, affordable, and concealable,” she said.
“We are not opposed to alcohol consumption but to its proliferation in high concentrations in sachets and small bottles, which makes it easy for children to access.”
Adeyeye added that some sachet alcohol products previously contained between 50 and 90 percent alcohol, levels considered dangerous to public health.
Although manufacturers were asked to reduce alcohol content to 30 percent, many resisted, citing potential job losses and threats to investments.
She said the matter was escalated to the Federal Ministry of Health, which allowed a five-year transition from December 2018 to January 31, 2024, for producers to comply with regulations.
The enforcement has drawn reactions from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and civil society groups, who warned that the ban could impact the economy and cost millions of jobs.
Despite this, Adeyeye reiterated NAFDAC’s commitment to upholding public safety and ensuring that regulations are consistently enforced across Nigeria.
