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 in plastic or glass bottles below 200 millilitres, dismissing claims that alcohol manufacturing companies were shut down.
The agency clarified that the directive targets only the sale of spirits in small pack sizes, stressing that the action is driven by public health concerns rather than punitive intentions.
In a statement issued on Thursday, NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, said the renewed enforcement followed a resolution of the Senate and was in line with the agency’s mandate to protect public health, particularly among children, adolescents and young adults.
She explained that the widespread availability of high-alcohol-content drinks in sachets and small containers had made alcohol cheap, easily accessible and easily concealed, contributing to rising cases of underage drinking, addiction, domestic violence, road accidents, school dropouts and other social problems.
Adeyeye noted that warning labels such as “Not for children” had failed to curb misuse, as many parents were unaware their children consumed alcohol due to the small and discreet packaging.
She cited reports from schools highlighting worrying trends, including a recent case in which a student reportedly said he could not sit for an examination without first consuming sachet alcohol.
NAFDAC 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 products by January 31, 2024. The deadline was later extended to December 2025 to allow manufacturers to exhaust existing stock and adjust production lines.
According to Adeyeye, the current Senate resolution aligns with that agreement as well as Nigeria’s commitment to the World Health Assembly’s Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol.
She emphasised that the ban applies only to spirit drinks in sachets and containers below 200ml, adding that alcoholic beverages packaged in larger volumes remain approved for sale.
“This 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,” she said.
The renewed enforcement has drawn criticism from industry groups and labour unions. The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and other stakeholders, including the Food and Beverage Tobacco Outgrowers and Bottlers, have warned that the policy could negatively affect jobs and livelihoods.
On January 23, members of the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria, alongside the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, staged a protest at NAFDAC’s Lagos office, claiming the ban could displace up to 5.5 million workers.
However, NAFDAC urged manufacturers, distributors and retailers to comply fully with the directive, stressing that no further extension would be granted beyond December 2025.
The agency added that it would continue working with the Ministry of Health, the FCCPC and the National Orientation Agency to intensify public awareness campaigns on the dangers of alcohol misuse, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring that only safe and properly regulated products are available in the country.
