The prohibition on the manufacture and distribution of alcoholic beverages packed in sachets and small plastic or glass bottles under 200 millilitres has been reinstated by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.
Citing public health concerns, the agency stated that it simply forbade the sale of alcohol in sachets and small containers, without shutting down any alcohol-producing businesses.
Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, Director-General of NAFDAC, said in a statement on Thursday that the action was intended to shield kids, teens, and young people from alcohol abuse.
According to the statement, “the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has resumed enforcement of the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small-volume PET or glass bottles below 200ml, in line with a resolution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Senate and the Agency’s public health mandate.”
According to the agency, the widespread availability of high-alcohol-content beverages in sachets and small containers has made alcohol cheap, easily accessible and easily concealable, contributing to rising cases of underage drinking, addiction, domestic violence, road accidents, school dropouts and other social vices.
Due to cultural realities, Adeyeye observed that warning warnings like “Not for children” on sachets and small containers had proven useless.
“Because the pack size is small, inexpensive, and easily concealed, many parents are unaware that their children drink sachet alcohol,” she stated.
She said that school reports had revealed unsettling patterns, such as a recent instance where a teacher reported a student’s allegation that he was unable to sit for a test without first consuming sachet wine.
Recalling that it signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with manufacturers in December 2018, NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission agreed to phase out sachet and small-volume alcohol packaging by January 31, 2024.
Later, the ban was extended until December 2025 to give firms time to reorganise their production lines and run out of inventory.
“The current Senate resolution aligns with the spirit and letter of that agreement and with Nigeria’s commitment to the World Health Assembly Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol,” she said.
Adeyeye emphasised that the prohibition was protective rather than punishing.
“This prohibition is protective rather than punitive. By prohibiting alcohol in tiny pack sizes, it is intended to protect the health and future of our children and young people.
The choice is based on public health concerns and scientific data. Nigerians’ well-being cannot be sacrificed for financial gain. A country’s ultimate prosperity lies in its health.
She maintained that only spirit drinks packaged in sachets and small PET or glass bottles below 200ml were affected, noting that NAFDAC still allowed alcoholic beverages in bigger pack sizes.
The public, labour, and business sectors have all reacted quickly to the increased enforcement.
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and other stakeholders, notably the Food and Beverage Tobacco Outgrowers and Bottlers (FOBTOB), have denounced the decision as inconsistent and potentially detrimental.
Members of the Nigerian Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress, and the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria convened at NAFDAC’s Lagos office on January 23 to protest the prohibition.
At least 5.5 million Nigerians would lose their jobs as a result of the enforcement, they claimed.
The policy, according to some demonstrators, is a grave regulatory error that fails to strike a balance between public health objectives and economic realities, especially in a nation where low-income customers continue to favour inexpensive sachet spirits.
However, NAFDAC emphasised that no additional extension will be given after December 2025 and urged makers, distributors, and retailers to fully comply with the rule.
The organisation declared that it would keep working with the National Orientation Agency, the FCCPC, and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to increase national awareness of the risks associated with alcohol abuse.
NAFDAC reiterated its dedication to making sure Nigerians have access to only wholesome, safe, and appropriately regulated goods.
