Breaking: Enforcement of Ban on Sachet Alcohol Begins as NAFDAC Takes New Actions
- NAFDAC began enforcing the ban on sachet alcohol and small-sized plastic bottles following a Senate directive
- Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye said the decision was taken to protect children and other vulnerable groups from harmful alcohol consumption
- The agency raised concerns over previously high alcohol content and reaffirmed its commitment to public health safety
FCT, Abuja - The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has commenced the enforcement of a ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and plastic bottles below 200 millilitres.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this on Wednesday during a media parley organised by the agency in Lagos.
Source: Twitter
According to her, the enforcement follows a directive from the Senate, which recently gave the agency the go-ahead to proceed with the ban after an earlier suspension.
Senate directive clears way for enforcement
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that NAFDAC had announced on 11 November 2025 that it would enforce a total ban on the production and sale of sachet alcohol and small PET bottles by December 2025, in line with a Senate resolution.
However, the enforcement was temporarily halted after the Federal Government directed that all actions be suspended pending consultations and a final decision.
Prof. Adeyeye said the agency has now received a clear mandate to proceed.
“We already started the enforcement to ban alcohol production in sachets and bottles below 200ml after we received the order from the Senate to proceed,” she said.
Public health concerns drive decision
The NAFDAC boss explained that the ban was introduced to protect public health, particularly safeguarding children, adolescents and young adults from the harmful effects of alcohol abuse.
Source: Twitter
She noted that alcoholic drinks packaged in sachets and small containers were easily accessible, affordable and easy to conceal, making them especially attractive to underage consumers.
“NAFDAC is not against alcohol, but we are against the proliferation of high alcohol content in sachets and small bottles, to prevent children from having easy access to it,” she said.
High alcohol content raises alarm
Prof. Adeyeye revealed that before her appointment, some sachet alcoholic products contained between 50 and 90 per cent alcohol content, describing the levels as dangerously high.
She said NAFDAC had previously directed manufacturers to reduce the alcohol concentration to 30 per cent, a move that was met with resistance.
“We asked the manufacturers to reduce the content to 30 per cent. They went directly to the ministry to complain, citing loss of jobs and investment,” she said.
According to her, the then Minister of Health granted manufacturers a five-year grace period, running from December 2018 to 31 January 2024, to adjust their operations.
Agency reaffirms commitment to safety
Prof. Adeyeye reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to protecting the health of Nigerians through strict regulatory actions, stressing that the current enforcement is aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm among vulnerable groups.
She assured that the agency would continue to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure compliance while prioritising public health and safety.
NAFDAC alerts on fake BETACLOX antibiotic
Previously, Legit.ng reported that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued Public Alert No. 37/2025, warning Nigerians about a suspected substandard and falsified (SF) pharmaceutical product circulating in the country’s drug supply chain.
The product in question, BETACLOX, a combination of ampicillin and cloxacillin, has been found to contain fraudulent registration details and originates from an unverified source.
Source: Legit.ng
