By Nkechi Eze
In a joint press briefing, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) have raised alarm over the rising menace of underage drinking in Nigeria, particularly through sachet and small PET bottle alcohol packaging. Addressing the issue, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, highlighted that alcohol is one of the most widely used substances of abuse among youths and a growing public health concern. She referenced studies showing a rapid increase in alcohol availability, production, importation, and consumption across all age groups in Nigeria over the last few decades, emphasizing that easy access has contributed to the rising prevalence of alcohol abuse among minors.
Professor Adeyeye cited a 2021 national survey conducted by Research and Data Solutions Ltd, Abuja, and sponsored by the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), which examined underage drinking and alcohol abuse in six states across the six geopolitical zones. The survey included 1,788 respondents and employed trained enumerators using quantitative multiple-choice questionnaires. Findings revealed that 54.3 percent of minors and underaged children obtain alcohol themselves, while 49.9 percent patronize retailers selling alcohol in sachets and small PET bottles. Other sources included liquor stores (15.4 percent), restaurants (12.6 percent), supermarkets (7.9 percent), friends and relatives (49.9 percent), and social gatherings (45.9 percent). Among those who procure alcohol for themselves, 47.2 percent of minors and 48.8 percent of underaged children procure drinks in sachets, 41.2 percent of minors and 47.2 percent of underaged children procure drinks in PET bottles, and 27.6 percent of underaged children access alcohol in glass bottles. The highest incidence of procurement in sachets and PET bottles was recorded in Rivers (68.0 percent and 64.5 percent), Lagos (52.3 percent and 47.7 percent), and Kaduna (38.6 percent and 28.4 percent). The pattern was higher among males (51.4 percent) than females (41.5 percent) and more pronounced in rural areas (50.1 percent) compared to urban locations (45.3 percent).
The survey also examined the frequency of alcohol consumption, revealing that most minors (63.2 percent) and underaged children (54.0 percent) drink occasionally, 9.3 percent of minors and 25.2 percent of underaged children consume alcohol daily, while 11.3 percent of minors and 9.4 percent of underaged children consume alcohol at least once a week. The study further found that 2.5 percent of minors and 11.7 percent of underaged children had ever engaged in binge drinking, with higher prevalence in Gombe (16.3 percent), the Federal Capital Territory (15.0 percent), and Anambra (14.4 percent). Reasons cited for alcohol consumption include peer pressure (50.5 percent), influence by parents and relatives (34.8 percent), personal choice (34.2 percent), and emotional coping such as sadness or depression (34.0 percent). Additional contributing factors include youth influence (49.4 percent), social media (36.4 percent), accessibility of alcohol outlets (32.6 percent), government role (22.7 percent), and public advertisement of alcoholic beverages (20.7 percent).
The briefing highlighted the health, behavioral, and social consequences of underage drinking, including permanent damage to the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex affecting memory, learning, and impulse control, risks of binge drinking and alcohol poisoning, liver and kidney damage, disrupted hormonal growth, hypertension, increased cancer risk, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, violence, injury, suicides, homicides, motor vehicle accidents, unprotected sexual activity, unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and academic underperformance. Youths who begin drinking before age 15 were noted to have a 41 percent higher risk of developing alcohol dependence.
Citing resolutions by the Senate on November 6, 2025, communicated to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on December 1, 2025, Professor Adeyeye emphasized urgent actions to curb underage drinking, including immediate strict enforcement of the ban on sachet and small (<200ml) PET bottle alcoholic beverages, support from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for the ban, the release of the National Alcohol Policy incorporating prohibition of small pack sizes, and intensified nationwide sensitization campaigns by NAFDAC and NOA.
The briefing concluded that restricting access to alcohol through the elimination of sachets and small bottles can significantly reduce underage consumption and abuse. NAFDAC and NOA called on parents, teachers, religious leaders, and community members to remain vigilant, while reiterating their commitment to nationwide awareness campaigns to educate the public on the dangers of alcohol consumption among minors and underaged children.
