NAFDAC Bans Sachet, Small-Bottle Alcohol in Nigeria by 2025

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has ordered a nationwide ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small bottles below 200 millilitres, effective December 2025.

The directive was announced by Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC Director-General, during a press briefing in Abuja. She stated that the decision aims to protect public health and safeguard young Nigerians from the dangers of easily accessible high-alcohol-content drinks.

“The proliferation of high-alcohol-content beverages in sachets and small containers has made such products easily accessible, affordable, and concealable, leading to widespread misuse and addiction among minors and commercial drivers,” Adeyeye said.

The agency highlighted that such alcohol misuse has been linked to domestic violence, road accidents, school dropouts, and other social vices across communities.

The ban follows a Senate resolution addressing the social and public health risks posed by sachet alcohol. NAFDAC had previously signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with industry stakeholders to phase out small-bottle alcohol, initially setting deadlines for 2023, later extended to December 2025 to allow manufacturers to adjust production lines and exhaust old stock.

Prof. Adeyeye emphasized that no further extension will be granted, urging manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to comply fully.

“This ban is not punitive; it is protective. It is aimed at safeguarding the health and future of our children and youth,” she said. “We cannot continue to sacrifice the well-being of Nigerians for short-term economic gain. The health of a nation is its true wealth.”

NAFDAC plans to collaborate with security agencies, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to ensure full enforcement and nationwide public awareness campaigns.

The ban affects only spirit drinks packaged in sachets and small PET or glass bottles below 200ml. The agency stressed that it aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to the World Health Organization’s Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol (WHA63.13, 2010).