NAFDAC begins enforcement of ban on sachet alcohol

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has began enforcement on the ban on production and sale of alcohol in sachet and pet bottle below 200ml.

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The Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this at a media parley, organised by the agency, on Wednesday in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NAFDAC had on 11 November, 2025, announced that it would enforce a total ban on the production and sale of the items, by December 2025, in line with directive of the Senate.

However, the proposed enforcement was halted after the federal government called for the immediate suspension of all actions and measures related to the proposed ban, pending the outcome of consultations and final directive.

Mrs Adeyeye said that the agency had gotten a marching order from the senate, to enforce the ban, noting that NAFDAC had already commenced enforcement.

She noted that the agency took the decision to safeguard public health and protect vulnerable population, particularly children, adolescents, and young adults, from the harmful use of alcohol.

She noted that the proliferation of high alcohol content beverages in sachets and small containers, had made such products easily accessible, affordable, and concealable.

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

“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 noted that prior to her position as NAFDAC boss, sachet alcohol had 50 to 90 per cent concentration of alcohol, describing it as extremely high.

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“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.

“The then Minister of Health gave them a five-year period between December 2018 to 31 January, 2024, to put their business in place,” she said.

Mrs Adeyeye consequently, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to safeguarding the health of the nation, especially the safety of vulnerable groups like children, through its regulatory activities. (NAN)