The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has begun full enforcement of the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET bottles below 200 millilitres, following a directive from the Senate.
NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, announced the development on Wednesday during a media briefing in Lagos, saying the agency had received formal approval from the Senate to resume enforcement after months of consultations.
The ban, which targets high-strength alcoholic drinks sold in small, easily concealed containers, is aimed at protecting public health—particularly children, adolescents and young adults—from alcohol abuse.
Adeyeye explained that the widespread availability of sachet alcohol had made it cheap and easily accessible, increasing consumption among vulnerable groups. She stressed that the agency was not opposed to alcohol production but to its packaging in formats that encourage abuse.
“NAFDAC is not against alcohol. We are against the proliferation of high-alcohol-content drinks in sachets and small bottles that make it easy for children to access,” she said.
According to Adeyeye, sachet alcohol products previously contained alcohol levels as high as 50 to 90 per cent. Although NAFDAC directed manufacturers to reduce the content to 30 per cent, the move was resisted by industry players who raised concerns about job losses and declining investments.
Those objections led the Federal Government to grant manufacturers a five-year grace period—from December 2018 to January 2024—to adjust their operations. Adeyeye noted that the grace period has since expired, paving the way for the renewed enforcement.
The enforcement follows a November 2025 Senate resolution directing NAFDAC and other regulatory bodies to halt any further extension of the phase-out period for sachet alcohol. The motion was sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong.
However, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has warned that the ban could wipe out investments estimated at N1.9 trillion and threaten thousands of jobs across the alcoholic beverage value chain.
Despite the concerns, Adeyeye reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to public health regulation, adding that the agency would continue to engage stakeholders while ensuring strict compliance with safety standards.
Source: Nairametrics