NAFDAC Begins Enforcement Ban on Sachet Alcohol, Sends Clear Message to Manufacturers
- NAFDAC has kicked off its nationwide enforcement of the ban on producing and selling alcohol in sachets
- Also the bank extends to PET bottles below 200 ml following a Nigerian Senate resolution
- The move seeks to stop the widespread availability of high alcohol content drinks in small, cheap, and easily concealed packages
- The agency said the availability pose public health risks, especially to minors and young adults
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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has commenced full enforcement of the ban on the production and sale of alcohol packaged in sachets and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles below 200 millilitres.
The enforcement sends a clear message to manufacturers who resisted the ban.
Source: Twitter
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye announced the full enforcement on Wednesday, Janaury 21 in Lagos during a media briefing organised by the agency.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), NAFDAC had on November 11, 2025, announced plans to begin enforcement of a total ban on the affected products by December 2025, in compliance with a directive issued by the Senate.
Adeyeye explained that the agency has now received a fresh formal authorisation from the upper legislative chamber to proceed, adding that enforcement actions have already commenced nationwide.
Why the enforcement
The Senate resolution of November 2025 followed a motion sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North), which was debated during plenary earlier this year.
In moving the motion, Senator Nwoko raised concerns over the widespread availability of high-alcohol-content drinks packaged in sachets and small bottles, warning that their low cost and ease of concealment posed serious public health and social risks, particularly to minors and young adults.
The motion, which enjoyed broad bipartisan support, was debated by lawmakers who expressed alarm at rising cases of alcohol abuse among school-age children and youths.
The Senate subsequently adopted the motion and resolved to direct NAFDAC to enforce existing regulations prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small-volume containers.
NAFDAC defends decision on full enforcement
Speaking at the briefing, Adeyeye said the enforcement drive is aimed at safeguarding public health and protecting vulnerable groups, especially children, adolescents, and young adults, from the harmful effects of alcohol consumption.
She said:
“The proliferation of high-alcohol-content beverages in sachets and small containers has made such products easily accessible, affordable, and concealable.
“We have already started the enforcement to ban alcohol production in sachets and bottles below 200ml after receiving the order from the Senate. NAFDAC is not against alcohol, but we are against its proliferation in high concentrations in sachets and small bottles, which makes it easy for children to access.”
Source: Getty Images
Adeyeye noted that before her tenure, some sachet alcohol products contained between 50 and 90 per cent alcohol, describing the levels as dangerously high and detrimental to public health, Punch reports.
She said NAFDAC had previously directed manufacturers to reduce alcohol content to 30%, but many resisted the directive, citing concerns over job losses and potential investment setbacks.
According to her, the matter was escalated to the Federal Ministry of Health, which subsequently granted manufacturers a five-year transition period from December 2018 to January 31, 2024, to restructure their operations and comply with regulatory standards.
Adeyeye reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protecting public health, stressing that NAFDAC would continue to prioritise the safety of vulnerable populations through sustained regulatory enforcement.
Nigeria alcohol, drinks spend hit over N1.5 trillion
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that despite economic hardship, brewing companies recorded combined revenue of more than N1.54tn from beer and non-alcoholic beverages in the first nine months of 2025, reflecting the scale of consumer spending on brewery products during the period.
Unaudited financial statements released by Nigerian Breweries Plc, International Breweries Plc and Champion Breweries Plc for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, show that strong demand for beer largely drove their revenue growth.
Source: Legit.ng
