NAFDAC Bans Production and Sale of Sachet Alcoholic Drinks Nationwide

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced a total ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small containers below 200ml, effective next month.

The agency warned manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to comply fully with the directive, stressing that no further extension would be granted. This follows the Senate’s recent directive for NAFDAC to enforce the ban within the stipulated timeframe.

Speaking in Abuja, NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, said the move was necessary to protect public health and curb alcohol abuse among vulnerable groups, especially children, adolescents, and young adults.

Adeyeye explained that sachet and small-sized alcoholic drinks have become easily accessible, cheap, and concealable, encouraging misuse by minors and commercial drivers. She linked the products to rising cases of addiction, domestic violence, road accidents, school dropouts, and other social vices.

“Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gunpowder,” she warned. “Children already addicted to alcohol are more likely to progress to hard drug use, which poses a serious threat to national security and future productivity.”

She recalled that NAFDAC, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and industry associations, signed a five-year agreement in 2018 to phase out sachet and small-volume alcoholic beverages by January 2024. The timeline was later extended to December 2025 to allow producers to clear existing stock and reconfigure their production systems.

Adeyeye reaffirmed that this deadline marks the final phase of the transition, emphasizing that the agency remains committed to protecting Nigerians from harmful substances.