The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has commenced full nationwide enforcement of the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles below 200 millilitres, citing public health concerns, especially among children and youths.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this on Wednesday during a media briefing in Lagos.
NAFDAC DG, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye
Adeyeye said the enforcement followed a fresh authorisation from the Nigerian Senate, which recently reaffirmed its resolution directing the agency to clamp down on the affected products.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), NAFDAC had earlier announced on November 11, 2025, that it would begin full enforcement of the ban by December 2025, in line with a Senate directive.
“The Senate has now given us the formal go-ahead, and enforcement has already commenced across the country,” Adeyeye said.
She explained that the Senate’s resolution stemmed from a motion sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North), which raised concerns about the widespread availability of high-alcohol-content drinks packaged in sachets and small bottles.
During the plenary debate, lawmakers warned that the products’ low cost, portability and ease of concealment had made them readily accessible to minors and young adults, contributing to rising cases of alcohol abuse among school-age children and youths.
Following the debate, the Senate adopted the motion and resolved to direct NAFDAC to enforce existing regulations prohibiting the sale of alcohol in sachets and small-volume containers.
Adeyeye said the agency’s renewed enforcement drive is aimed at safeguarding public health and protecting vulnerable populations from the harmful effects of alcohol consumption.
“The proliferation of high-alcohol-content alcoholic beverages in sachets and small containers makes them easily accessible, affordable and concealable, especially for children and adolescents,” she said.
She added that NAFDAC is not opposed to alcohol production or consumption, but to the manner in which highly concentrated alcoholic drinks are packaged and distributed.
“We are not against alcohol. We are against its proliferation in sachets and bottles below 200 millilitres, which makes it easy for children to access,” Adeyeye stated.
The NAFDAC boss revealed that before her tenure, some sachet alcohol products contained between 50 and 90 per cent alcohol, describing such levels as extremely dangerous to public health.
She said although the agency had previously directed manufacturers to reduce alcohol content to 30 per cent, many resisted, citing fears of job losses and investment setbacks.
As a result, she noted, the matter was escalated to the Federal Ministry of Health, which granted manufacturers a five-year transition period—from December 2018 to January 31, 2024—to restructure their operations and comply with regulatory standards.
Adeyeye reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to sustained enforcement, stressing that the agency would continue to prioritise public safety and the protection of children, adolescents and young adults.
