Ban on alcoholic drinks in sachets, small bottles begins December – NAFDAC

From Fred Ezeh, Abuja

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has disclosed that it would commence enforcement on the ban on production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small-volume bottles next month.

This was contained in a statement by the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, in Abuja, yesterday.

She said the decisive action was ordered by the Nigerian Senate and backed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, hence it underscored the agency’s statutory mandate to safeguard public health and protect vulnerable populations particularly children, adolescents, and young adults from the harmful use of alcohol.

She said the proliferation of high alcohol content beverages in sachets and small containers has made such products easily accessible, affordable, and concealable, leading to widespread misuse and addiction among minors and commercial drivers.

“This is a public health menace, and it has been linked to increased incidences of domestic violence, road accidents, school dropouts, and social vices across communities. This ban is not punitive but protective. It is aimed at safeguarding the health and future of our children and youth.

“The decision is rooted in scientific evidence and public health considerations. We cannot continue to sacrifice the well-being of Nigerians for short-term economic gain. The health of a nation is its true wealth.”

She reiterated that only two categories of alcoholic beverages are affected by this regulation, namely, spirit drinks packaged in sachets and small-volume pet/glass bottles below 200ml.

She called 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.

She said 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.

She restated NAFDAC’s resolve in its mission to ensure that only safe, wholesome, and properly regulated products are available to Nigerians.

In December 2018, NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the 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 sachet and small-volume alcohol packaging by January 31, 2024.

The moratorium was later extended to December 2025 to allow industry operators to exhaust old stock and reconfigure production lines.

NAFDAC, however, emphasized that the current Senate resolution aligns with the spirit and letter of that agreement and with Nigeria’s commitment to the World Health Organization’s Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol (WHA63.13, 2010), to which Nigeria is a signatory.