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In a bid to curb the rising abuse of cheap and high-strength alcohol among youths in Nigeria, the Senate has resolved that production of sachet and small-bottle alcohol in Nigeria must stop by the end of this year. To this end, the lawmakers have ordered the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) not to extend the December 31 deadline for the production of alcohol in sachets and small bottles. This followed a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong from Cross River South during a recent plenary session. Ekpenyong said the move was in line with global regulatory standards and international best practices aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm among Nigerians.
We commend the Senate for taking this bold decision in the best interest of Nigeria. The directive to NAFDAC represents the government’s most determined stance in addressing alcohol abuse in the country, described by the Senate as “a public and moral crisis.” It has been five years since the Federal Ministry of Health and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), NAFDAC, and the Association of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) signed a voluntary five-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) to gradually phase out sachet and small-bottle alcoholic drinks. In 2024, NAFDAC commenced the enforcement of the directive by sealing factories and seizing contraband products. But the manufacturers protested, citing job losses and economic strain. The Federal Government, therefore, granted a one-year moratorium to enable producers to exhaust the existing stock and transition to compliant packaging alternatives, following an appeal for time extension.
It is disturbing that with a few weeks to the end of the year and the expiration of the December 31 deadline, some manufacturers, concerned more with profit maximisation rather than health and social implications associated with alcohol abuse, have been lobbying for another extension. The Senate did not yield to their request this time around. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, described the resolution as a timely intervention toward safeguarding public health and youth welfare. He urged NAFDAC to ensure full enforcement of the ban by December 2025, warning that any further extension would undermine Nigeria’s anti-substance abuse efforts. Akpabio said the agency must act decisively to protect Nigerians, especially our young people, from the dangers of unregulated alcohol consumption.
Health experts have warned that sachet alcohol, with its high ethanol content, fuels addiction and health complications, even among pregnant women. The move by the federal government, if well enforced, could produce a similar result with what obtains in Kenya and Uganda, where similar bans have significantly reduced alcohol-related harm. The revelation by NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola, Adeyeye, that the products are “deliberately designed to attract underage drinkers” cannot be dismissed. This is because sachet and small-bottle alcohol have become the favourite of young people in Nigeria, who purchase them without restriction because of widespread availability and low cost.
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Nigeria can no longer sit idly and sacrifice the future of its youths for the benefit of a few unscrupulous businessmen. The harmful effects of sachet alcohol are too many to be ignored. Experts say that high concentrations of ethanol and toxic substances, like heavy metals and methanol, can cause liver disease, cardiovascular problems, and cancers of the mouth and esophagus. Nigerians youths should be sensitized about the dangers of consuming sachet alcohols, which can lead to alcohol poisoning. It also causes neurological complications, low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety among chronic users. Pregnant women who are unaware of the health hazards of abusing alcohol expose their unborn children to many risks.
It is expected that the ban of sachet and small bottle alcohol could dissuade addicted youths from alcohol abuse because of the high cost of regular size alcohol beverage. Minors who consume soft drinks have suddenly replaced the beverage with sachet and small bottle alcohol, which often cost less than soft drinks. This has led to addiction and negative lifestyles. Increased rates of traffic accidents, violence, risky sexual behaviour, and poor academic performance have been attributed to alcohol addiction.
With Nigeria yet to win the war against terrorism and criminalities, the resolution by the Senate could save the nation from the possibility of new recruits who are enticed by alcohol and hard drugs by terrorists and other criminals. Secret cults and gangsters have also profited from the proliferation of cheap alcohol in sachets and small bottles. We urge NAFDAC and security agencies to enforce the ban from January 1 2025. With the ban, environmental pollution associated with plastic and nylon sachets in Nigeria could be drastically reduced.
