NAFDAC Begins Enforcement of Sachet Alcohol Ban Nationwide

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has commenced enforcement of the ban on the production and sale of alcohol in sachets and PET bottles below 200ml across Nigeria.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this on Wednesday during a media parley organised by the agency in Lagos, confirming that the enforcement followed a matching order from the Senate.

“We already started the enforcement to ban alcohol production in sachet and bottles below 200ml, after we received order from the senate to proceed,” Adeyeye said.

NAFDAC had earlier announced on November 11, 2025, that it would enforce a total ban by December 2025, in line with a Senate directive. However, the move was temporarily suspended after the Federal Government called for consultations before a final decision.

Adeyeye said the renewed enforcement was driven by public health concerns, particularly the protection of children, adolescents and young adults from the harmful effects of alcohol.

“NAFDAC is not against alcohol, but we are against its proliferation of high alcohol content in sachet and small bottles, to prevent children from having easy access to it,” she said.

According to her, sachet alcohol products previously contained between 50 and 90 per cent alcohol concentration, which she described as extremely dangerous.

“We asked the manufacturers to reduced the content to 30 per cent, they went directly to the ministry to express their displeasure, citing loss of jobs and investment,” Adeyeye said.

She added that manufacturers were granted a five-year transition period between December 2018 and January 31, 2024, to restructure their businesses before full enforcement.

Reaffirming the agency’s stance, Adeyeye said NAFDAC remains committed to safeguarding public health through strict regulatory actions aimed at reducing alcohol abuse among vulnerable groups.