The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has announced the resumption of enforcement on the ban against the production and sale of alcoholic drinks packaged in sachets and small PET or glass bottles below 200ml.
The renewed enforcement follows a recent directive from the Nigerian Senate.
Speaking in a statement to Independent Newspaper, Adeyeye clarified that the ban is not targeted at alcohol manufacturers. Instead, it reflects NAFDAC’s statutory responsibility to protect public health, particularly children, adolescents, and young adults, with the backing of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
She explained that the widespread availability of high-alcohol beverages in sachets and small bottles has made them cheap, easily accessible, and simple to conceal. This trend has encouraged abuse and addiction, especially among minors and some commercial drivers.
According to her, the growing misuse has contributed to domestic violence, road accidents, school dropouts, and other social problems nationwide.
Adeyeye dismissed warnings such as “not for children” as ineffective in Nigeria’s social setting. She noted that sachet alcohol is inexpensive and easy to hide, making parental control difficult.
She cited reports from schools showing alarming behaviour, including pupils hiding sachet alcohol. In one case, a student reportedly said he could not sit for an examination without first drinking alcohol.
NAFDAC recalled that manufacturers were given a six-year moratorium to phase out sachets and small-volume bottles. In December 2018, the agency signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) and the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), alongside the Federal Ministry of Health and the FCCPC. The agreement set January 31, 2024, as the initial deadline, later extended to December 2025 to allow stock clearance and production adjustments.
Adeyeye said the Senate resolution aligns with that agreement and Nigeria’s commitment to the World Health Assembly’s Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol.
She stressed that the policy aims to limit alcohol access among children and young people. NAFDAC continues to approve alcoholic beverages in larger pack sizes, noting that the restriction applies only to sachets and bottles below 200ml. No alcohol company has been shut down.
“This ban is not punitive; it is protective,” Adeyeye said. “It is driven by scientific evidence and public health concerns. The wellbeing of Nigerians must not be sacrificed for economic gains.”
NAFDAC confirmed that only spirit drinks packaged in sachets and small PET or glass bottles under 200ml are affected.
The agency urged manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to comply fully, warning that no further extension will be granted beyond December 2025.
It also pledged continued collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the FCCPC, and the National Orientation Agency to intensify public awareness on the dangers of alcohol abuse.
NAFDAC reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that only safe, properly regulated products remain available to Nigerians.
