Enforce Ban on Sachet Alcohol by December 2025, Senate Urges NAFDAC
The Nigerian Senate has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to fully enforce its ban on the production and sale of alcoholic drinks packaged in sachets and small plastic bottles by December 2025.
The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, representing Cross River South, who expressed concern over the continued postponement of the ban despite mounting evidence of the dangers posed by sachet-packaged alcoholic beverages.
Ekpenyong told the Senate that the proliferation of cheap, easily accessible alcohol in small sachets and plastic bottles had become a “social menace,” especially among youths and minors.
He warned that continued delay in enforcing the ban would worsen public health issues, fuel social vices, and undermine government efforts to curb substance abuse.
Lawmakers during plenary supported the motion, describing the sachet alcohol trade as a major contributor to crime, domestic violence, and road accidents across the country.
They also noted that the affordability and portability of the products make them particularly attractive to underage drinkers.
The Senate further urged the Federal Ministry of Health to expedite the release of the long-awaited National Alcohol Policy, aimed at regulating production, marketing, and consumption of alcoholic beverages in Nigeria.
It also mandated the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to embark on extensive nationwide campaigns to educate citizens on the risks associated with excessive and unregulated alcohol consumption.
In his submission, Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the motion, noting that Nigeria has a constitutional duty to protect children and vulnerable groups from harmful substances.
He stressed that enforcing the NAFDAC ban was a crucial step toward fulfilling that obligation.
NAFDAC had announced in 2022 that it would phase out the sale of alcohol in sachets and PET bottles smaller than 200 millilitres to reduce access among underage drinkers. The implementation was, however, temporarily suspended following pressure from some manufacturers and trade unions.
The Senate’s latest directive now reinforces NAFDAC’s December 2025 deadline as final and non-negotiable, signaling the government’s determination to balance public health concerns with industrial interests.
If implemented, the enforcement is expected to reshape Nigeria’s alcohol market, curbing the widespread availability of low-cost spirits while promoting responsible production and consumption practices nationwide.
