NAFDAC Enforces Prohibition of Alcohol in Sachets, PET Bottles
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has launched a nationwide enforcement campaign to halt the production and sale of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small plastic bottles.
The action follows a recent authorisation by the Nigerian Senate, which directed NAFDAC to implement a full prohibition on such products by December 2025.
The Senate’s resolution was introduced by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, representing Cross River South, who argued that restricting sachet and small-bottle alcohol aligns with international regulatory standards and efforts to curb alcohol-related harm.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos on Wednesday, NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, said the enforcement drive is focused on safeguarding public health, particularly protecting children and other vulnerable groups.
According to her, alcoholic drinks sold in sachets and small containers have become widely available, cheap, and easy to conceal, making them accessible to underage consumers.
She stressed that while the agency is not seeking to ban alcohol entirely, it is targeting products packaged in ways that encourage misuse.
Adeyeye disclosed that some sachet alcohol brands previously recorded alcohol concentrations ranging from 50 to 90 per cent, levels she described as hazardous.
She added that although manufacturers were instructed to reduce alcohol content to 30 per cent, many failed to comply, citing concerns over job losses and business investments.
Meanwhile, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and several civil society groups have raised objections to the ban, warning that it could lead to significant economic losses and threaten millions of jobs.
