By Nkechi Eze
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has begun the full-scale enforcement of its prohibition on sachet alcohol and alcoholic beverages packaged in containers below 200 millilitres.
The agency clarified that the enforcement exercise has not led to the shutdown of any alcohol-producing company.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, who explained that the action followed a resolution of the Senate as well as approval by the appropriate ministerial authorities.
According to NAFDAC, the ban is primarily intended to safeguard children and young persons, noting that sachet alcohol products are cheap, widely available and easily accessible to minors.
The agency linked the growing consumption of such products to rising cases of domestic violence, road accidents and school dropouts across the country.
Professor Adeyeye stressed that warning labels alone are insufficient to curb abuse within Nigeria’s prevailing social environment.
She further recalled that manufacturers were granted a moratorium between 2018 and 2025 to enable them to modify their production lines and comply with the policy.
NAFDAC noted that the over six-year transition period was considered ample time for industry players to adjust, adding that regulatory approvals have consistently prioritised alcoholic beverages in larger-sized packaging.
The Director-General also cited reports of students smuggling sachet alcohol into schools as one of the concerns that necessitated stricter enforcement.
She described the measure as a protective intervention rather than a punitive one, while calling on manufacturers, distributors and retailers to ensure full compliance.
NAFDAC maintained that no additional extension will be granted beyond the stipulated timeline.
