The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has insisted that locally produced zobo, tigernut and similar drinks must be registered before they are sold to the public. 

The agency’s position is that the requirement applies once such drinks are packaged, sealed and labelled for sale.

The agency’s stance became a public talking point late last month after a viral video from Delta State showed police officers questioning a woman selling bottled zobo over the absence of a NAFDAC registration number.

A man who identified himself as a content creator challenged the officers and described the drink as ordinary zobo. NAFDAC spokesperson Christiana Obiazikwor then clarified that the agency does not regulate zobo sold in ordinary containers without packaging, sealing or labelling, comparing it to cooking oil sold loose in open markets.

She added that once the drink is packaged, sealed and labelled, it comes under NAFDAC regulation and is expected to carry a registration number. A photograph of the drink in the Delta incident reportedly showed a labelled bottle.

For producers, the route to registration is meant to be easier for small operators. NAFDAC lists zobo, kunu, tamarind pap, tigernut and ginger drinks as examples of beverages made from locally grown produce that it treats under its micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) track, which it says was streamlined to remove bureaucratic hurdles. For micro-scale producers, the requirements include proof of registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission, a site use agreement where applicable, one sample for vetting, three labels and evidence of payment for the registration.

Trademark registration is encouraged but optional at that scale.

The agency has long urged Nigerians to buy only registered products from reputable outlets, warning that packaged food and drinks without NAFDAC numbers should be avoided because their safety and quality cannot be guaranteed.

It has also stepped up raids on fake and substandard beverages in recent years.