The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has announced that the agency has resumed enforcement of the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small-volume PET or glass bottles (below 200ml), in line with a recent directive by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In a statement made available to Nigerian Tribune, Adeyeye stressed that the ban is not targeted at alcohol manufacturing companies.
She explained that the Senate-ordered action, supported by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, reflects NAFDAC’s statutory mandate to protect public health, particularly vulnerable populations such as children, adolescents, and young adults, from the harmful effects of alcohol.
The widespread availability of high-alcohol-content beverages in sachets and small bottles has made them easily accessible, affordable, and concealable, resulting in misuse and addiction among minors and some commercial drivers.
This public health challenge has been linked to domestic violence, road accidents, school dropouts, and other social vices.
Adeyeye noted that simply labeling these products “not for children” is ineffective due to the societal context. Sachets are cheap and easily concealed, making it difficult for parents to monitor consumption.
Reports from schools indicate that some children hide sachets, and in one case, a student claimed he could not take an exam without consuming sachet alcohol.NAFDAC highlighted the history of the six-year moratorium given to manufacturers to phase out sachets and small bottles.
In December 2018, the agency, alongside 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 small-volume packaging by January 31, 2024.
This deadline was later extended to December 2025 to allow the industry to exhaust old stock and adjust production lines.
The current Senate resolution aligns with that agreement and Nigeria’s commitment to the World Health Assembly Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol (WHA63.13, 2010).The objective is to make alcohol less accessible to children and youth.
NAFDAC continues to approve alcohol in larger pack sizes, emphasising that the ban applies only to sachets and bottles under 200ml, and no alcohol company has been shut down as a result.
According to Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, Director-General, NAFDAC, “This ban is not punitive; it is protective. It is aimed at safeguarding the health and future of our children and youth by not allowing alcohol in small pack sizes.
The decision is rooted in scientific evidence and public health considerations. We cannot continue to sacrifice the wellbeing of Nigerians for economic gain. The health of a nation is its true wealth.”
NAFDAC reiterates that only two packages of alcoholic beverages are affected by this regulation—spirit drinks packaged in sachets and small-volume PET/glass bottles below 200ml.
The Agency calls 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.
NAFDAC remains resolute in its mission to ensure that only safe, wholesome, and properly regulated products are available to Nigerians.
