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As As the battle rages over the enforcement of the ban on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small containers below 200ml, the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB), has appealed to the National Assembly, the Federal Ministry of Health, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), industry stakeholders and civil society organisations (CSOs) to engage in open, transparent and evidence-based dialogue aimed at crafting policies that protect public health without destroying livelihoods or creating regulatory contradictions.
The union, in a statement by its National President, Mr. Jimoh Oyibo, yesterday, acknowledged and fully supported the shared objective of protecting children, adolescents and vulnerable populations from the harmful use of alcohol, but expressed concern that the approach adopted by NAFDAC is disproportionate, economically disruptive and inconsistent with broader regulatory and public health realities in Nigeria.
FOBTOB admonished that public health concerns must not be addressed with inconsistent, economically damaging policies.
“Nigeria deserves policies that are balanced, humane, enforceable and fair.
“The solution lies in moderation, education and enforcement, not in policies that punish many while failing to address the real drivers of abuse,” FOBTOB posited.
According to the union, the ban on sachets and small containers below 200ml risks tilting the market in favour of larger, better-capitalised multinational players who can absorb retooling costs and pivot to premium pack sizes. Smaller local producers, who rely overwhelmingly on sachet sales, are disproportionately harmed, raising concerns about market concentration and unfair competitive outcomes, it noted even as it argued that public health and economic survival are not mutually exclusive. The statement read in part: “No reasonable stakeholder disputes that excessive alcohol consumption is harmful. However, public health challenges require holistic, data-driven, and enforceable solutions, not blanket prohibitions that fail to address root causes.
“Alcohol abuse among minors is primarily a challenge of effective enforcement, parental responsibility, public education, and social regulation, rather than one of packaging format. The size of an alcohol container does not in itself confer safety, nor does increasing pack sizes prevent access by minors. In fact, global public health evidence consistently demonstrates that behavioural regulation, age-restriction enforcement, education driven interventions, and appropriate sanctions are more effective in addressing underage alcohol consumption than blanket product bans.
“NAFDAC’s assertion that it “did not close down any company that makes alcohol” and that its actions were limited to banning alcohol in sachets and small containers below 200ml does not fully reflect the commercial and operational realities within the industry today. There are reports and documented instances of depots belonging to known businesses being sealed by NAFDAC while enforcing the ban in locations such as Enugu and Abakaliki. In some cases, these depots have remained sealed since 20th January 2026, despite housing a range of products that are not covered by the ban.
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Notwithstanding representations made by affected stakeholders, access to these depots has not been restored by NAFDAC, and this is affecting normal business operations negatively. As a labour union, the livelihoods of our members will be adversely affected by the closure of manufacturers’ depots. We have compiled records of these enforcement actions for reference and ongoing engagement, which are presented alongside this article.
“For many indigenous distillers, blenders, and distributors, sachet and sub-200ml packaging does not constitute a marginal segment of their operations but rather is the foundation of the core business model. These packaging formats were intentionally developed to serve low-income consumers, informal retail channels, and rural markets where considerations such as affordability, portability, and unit pricing determine demand.
Also, the claim that the policy only affects “two packages” does not fully convey the magnitude of the impact.
In operational terms, production lines are configured specifically for sachet and small-format bottling
Distribution networks are optimized for high-volume, low-unit sales
“Retail reach is largely dependent on maintaining affordability at the lowest price points
For many small and medium-scale operators, this transition will not be financially attainable.
“Therefore, while NAFDAC states that factories will not be shut down, the policy will result in economic shutdown, particularly for indigenous manufacturers and informal-sector participants.”
