By Chimdiogo Amuh 

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has resumed full enforcement of the ban on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and in small plastic or glass bottles below 200 millilitres, insisting that the policy is targeted at protecting children and other vulnerable groups, not shutting down alcohol-producing companies.

NAFDAC said the enforcement, which commenced on Thursday, followed a directive of the Nigerian Senate and has the backing of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. The agency noted that the action aligns with its statutory mandate to safeguard public health, particularly among children, adolescents and young adults.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, dismissed claims that alcohol factories had been sealed, clarifying that only specific packaging formats are affected.

“NAFDAC did not close down any company that produces alcohol. What we have banned is alcohol in sachets and in containers below 200 millilitres,” Adeyeye said.

She explained that the widespread availability of high-alcohol-content drinks in sachets and small bottles has made alcohol cheap, easily accessible and easy to conceal, contributing to increased misuse among minors and some commercial drivers. According to her, this trend has been linked to rising cases of addiction, domestic violence, road traffic accidents, school dropouts and other social vices nationwide.

“This ban is not punitive; it is protective,” she said. “It is aimed at safeguarding the health and future of our children and youths. The decision is based on scientific evidence and public health considerations. We cannot continue to sacrifice the wellbeing of Nigerians for economic gains.”

Adeyeye rejected suggestions that warning labels such as “Not for Children” would effectively curb underage consumption, noting that enforcement of such measures remains impractical in Nigeria.

She cited reports indicating that students often conceal sachet alcohol, recalling a case in which a teacher reported that a student claimed he could not sit for an examination without first consuming sachet alcohol.

The NAFDAC boss stressed that the policy was not sudden, explaining that manufacturers had been given ample time to adjust. In December 2018, NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with industry stakeholders to phase out sachet and small-volume alcohol packaging by January 31, 2024. The deadline was later extended to December 2025.

According to Adeyeye, the current Senate resolution is consistent with that agreement and also fulfils Nigeria’s commitment to the World Health Assembly’s Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol, which prioritises the protection of vulnerable populations.

She noted that NAFDAC continues to approve alcoholic beverages in larger pack sizes, emphasising that the objective of the ban is to limit easy access to alcohol by underage persons.

NAFDAC reiterated that only two packaging formats are affected—spirit drinks in sachets and small PET or glass bottles below 200 millilitres—and warned that no further extension of the phase-out deadline would be granted beyond December 2025.

The agency added that it would continue to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and the National Orientation Agency to intensify nationwide sensitisation on the health and social dangers of alcohol misuse.