By Ojoma Akor
Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it is committed to enforcing a total ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small-volume PET/glass bottles (below 200ml) by December 2025.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye in a statement yesterday, said this is in line with the recent directives of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
She said, “This decisive action, ordered by the Nigerian Senate and backed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, underscores the agency’s statutory mandate to safeguard public health and protect vulnerable populations—particularly children, adolescents, and young adults—from the harmful use of alcohol.”
She said the proliferation of high-alcohol-content beverages in sachets and small containers has made such products easily accessible, affordable, and concealable, leading to widespread misuse and addiction among minors and commercial drivers.
Prof Adeleye said the public health menace has been linked to increased incidences of domestic violence, road accidents, school dropouts, and social vices across communities.
She said, “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 (MoU) with the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) and the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) to phase out sachet and small-volume alcohol packaging by January 31, 2024. The moratorium was later extended to December 2025 to allow industry operators to exhaust old stock and reconfigure production lines.”
She also highlighted that the current senate resolution aligns with the spirit and letter of that agreement and with Nigeria’s commitment to the World Health Organization’s Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol (WHA63.13, 2010), to which Nigeria is a signatory.
According to Prof. Adeyeye, “This ban is not punitive; it is protective. It is aimed at safeguarding the health and future of our children and youth. The decision is rooted in scientific evidence and public health considerations. We cannot continue to sacrifice the well-being of Nigerians for short-term economic gain. The health of a nation is its true wealth.
“NAFDAC reiterates that only two categories of alcoholic beverages are affected by this regulation—spirit drinks packaged in sachets and small-volume PET/glass bottles below 200ml. ”
She further called on all stakeholders, including manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, to comply fully with the phase-out deadline, as no further extension will be entertained beyond December 2025.
“The agency will continue to work collaboratively with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to implement nationwide sensitization campaigns on the health and social dangers associated with alcohol misuse,” she added.
