Sachet Alcohol Ban Stands, NAFDAC Declares

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has resumed enforcement of the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small-volume PET/glass bottles (below 200ml).

NAFDAC said the move is in line with the recent directive of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“NAFDAC did not close down any company that makes alcohol. The Agency only banned alcohol in sachets and small containers less than 200ml,” NAFDAC said.

The agency’s clarifications came after the Food, Beverages, and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (AFBTE) and the National Union of Food, Beverages, and Tobacco Employees besieged NAFDAC’s office to express their grievances over disruptions to their companies’ operations.

The NAFDAC Director-General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, in a statement on Thursday, reiterated that this decisive action, ordered by the Nigerian Senate and backed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, underscores 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.

Adeyeye further explained that the proliferation of high-alcohol-content beverages in sachets and small containers less than 200 ml has made such products easily accessible, affordable, and concealable, leading to widespread misuse and resultant addiction among minors and some commercial drivers.

According to her, this public health menace has been linked to increased incidences of domestic violence, road accidents, school dropouts, and social vices across communities.

She stated, “Placing a label to read “not for children” on the sachets and the small containers will not work. It cannot be enforced because of the peculiarity of the society. Many parents don’t know their children take alcohol in sachet because the pack size can be easily concealed and the sachet is cheap.

Adeyeye recalled that in December 2018, the agency, with the Federal Ministry of Health, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AFBTE and the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) to phase out sachet and small-volume alcohol packaging by January 31, 2024.

She added that the moratorium was later extended to December 2025 to allow industry operators to exhaust old stock and reconfigure production lines.

However, ANAFDAC reiterates that the current Senate resolution aligns with the spirit and letter of that agreement and with Nigeria’s commitment to the World Health Assembly Global Strategy Resolution to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol (WHA63.13, 2010), to which Nigeria is a signatory since 2010, adding that the aim of the Resolution is to protect vulnerable population such as children and the youth.

Adeyeye further clarified that the ban on sachet packaging and PET botttle less than 200 ml is to make it difficult for children to get to alcohol and its consumption, stating that NAFDAC approves alcohol in bigger pack sizes.

She also noted that the small size of the sachet makes it easier for underage to conceal from parents and teachers. She noted that report from school showed that children conceal the sachets, citing that a teacher recently reported that a student said he couldn’t take exam without taking sachet alcohol.

Adeyeye stressed, “This ban is not punitive; it is protective. It is aimed at safeguarding the health and future of our children and youth by not allowing alcohol in small pack sizes. The decision is rooted in scientific evidence and public health considerations.

“We cannot continue to sacrifice the well-being of Nigerians for economic gain. The health of a nation is its true wealth,” she said.

NAFDAC further reiterated that only two packages of alcoholic beverages are affected by this regulation, spirit drinks packaged in sachets and small-volume PET/glass bottles below 200ml,

It 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.

The agency also said it 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 sensitisation campaigns on the health and social dangers associated with alcohol misuse.

Adeyeye said NAFDAC remains resolute in its mission to ensure that only safe, wholesome, and properly regulated products are available to Nigerians.