The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has resumed full enforcement of its ban on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and containers below 200 millilitres, stressing that the action is aimed at protecting children, adolescents, and vulnerable groups from harmful alcohol consumption.
The directive, which follows a resolution by the Nigerian Senate and is supported by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, does not involve the closure of any alcohol-producing company, according to NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye.
“NAFDAC did not close down any company that makes alcohol. What we have banned is alcohol in sachets and in small containers below 200 millilitres,” Adeyeye clarified on Thursday.
She explained that the small packaging formats have made alcohol cheap, easily accessible, and easy to conceal, contributing to addiction, domestic violence, road traffic accidents, school dropouts, and other social vices.
“This ban is not punitive; it is protective. It is aimed at safeguarding the health and future of our children and youth. We cannot continue to sacrifice the wellbeing of Nigerians for economic gain. The health of a nation is its true wealth,” Adeyeye said.
The NAFDAC boss also dismissed suggestions that warning labels such as “Not for Children” could prevent underage consumption, noting that such measures remain impractical in Nigeria. Reports indicate that many students conceal sachet alcohol and consume it even during school hours.
The policy has been in the works for several years. In December 2018, NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission signed a five-year memorandum with industry associations to phase out sachet and small-volume alcohol packaging by January 31, 2024. The deadline was later extended to December 2025.
“The current Senate resolution aligns fully with the spirit and letter of that agreement,” Adeyeye said, adding that the move also fulfills Nigeria’s commitment to the World Health Assembly Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol.
NAFDAC emphasised that alcoholic beverages in larger pack sizes remain approved for sale, noting that larger containers are harder for children to conceal and therefore safer. Only spirit drinks in sachets and small PET or glass bottles below 200 millilitres are affected.
The agency also pledged to continue nationwide sensitisation campaigns on the health and social dangers of alcohol misuse, working with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, and the National Orientation Agency.
“NAFDAC remains resolute in ensuring that only safe, wholesome, and properly regulated products are available to Nigerians,” Adeyeye concluded.
