The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has resumed enforcement of its ban on alcoholic drinks packaged in sachets and containers below 200 millilitres, saying the action is driven by public health concerns.
The agency clarified that no alcohol-producing company had been shut down, stressing that the restriction applies only to sachets and small plastic or glass bottles.
In a statement on Thursday, NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the policy was designed to curb alcohol abuse among young people.
NAFDAC 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 Senate resolution and our public health mandate, she said.
Adeyeye warned that cheap, easily concealed alcohol packs had fuelled underage drinking, addiction and other social problems, noting that warning labels such as Not for children had failed to address the challenge.
Many parents do not even know their children consume sachet alcohol because the pack size is small, cheap and easily concealed, she added.
She cited reports from schools, including a case where a pupil reportedly said he could not sit for an examination without first taking sachet alcohol.
NAFDAC explained that the renewed enforcement follows a 2018 agreement with manufacturers to phase out small-pack alcohol by January 2024, later extended to December 2025.
This ban is not punitive; it is protective, Adeyeye said. The health of a nation is its true wealth.
While industry groups and labour unions have criticised the move and warned of job losses, NAFDAC insisted no further extensions would be granted and urged full compliance.
