The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced a complete ban on the production and sale of alcoholic drinks in sachets and small-volume PET or glass bottles (under 200ml), set to take effect from December 2025.
Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers have been strongly urged to meet the deadline, as no further extensions will be allowed.
This directive comes in response to a resolution by the Nigerian Senate, instructing NAFDAC to implement the ban to protect public health, particularly shielding children, adolescents, and young adults from the harmful effects of alcohol abuse.
Speaking in Abuja, NAFDAC Director-General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye said the easy availability of high-alcohol-content drinks in small containers has made them cheap, accessible, and easy to hide, fueling addiction, road accidents, domestic violence, school dropouts, and other social ills.
Adeyeye highlighted the wider implications for national security, noting, “Children exposed to alcohol at an early age are more likely to progress to hard drugs. This has long-term consequences on workforce productivity and contributes to social vices such as banditry and kidnapping.”
The DG recalled that in December 2018, NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Association of Food, Beverage, and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) and the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) to phase out sachet and small-volume alcohol packaging by January 31, 2024.
The deadline was later extended to December 2025 to give industry operators time to sell off old stock and adjust production lines.
“This ban is not punitive; it is protective. It is aimed at safeguarding the health and future of our children and youth. The decision is rooted in scientific evidence and public health considerations,” Adeyeye said.
The regulation targets only spirit drinks packaged in sachets and bottles under 200ml.
NAFDAC stated it would partner with the Federal Ministry of Health, FCCPC, and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to run nationwide awareness campaigns on the dangers of alcohol misuse, ensuring that only safe, properly regulated products are available to Nigerians.
Last Friday, the Senate took a firm stance against sachet alcohol, directing NAFDAC to end its production and sale by December 2025.
Lawmakers warned that cheap, high-alcohol drinks sold in sachets and small bottles are harming young Nigerians, driving addiction, violence, and road accidents across the country.
The resolution followed a motion by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South), who urged the Senate to stop any further delays in enforcing the ban.
Ekpenyong expressed concern that despite repeated commitments, NAFDAC had postponed the phase-out deadline multiple times due to pressure from manufacturers.
He added that any additional extension would “betray public trust” and undermine Nigeria’s responsibility to safeguard public health.
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