…as NAFDAC commits to recruiting 1,000 staff in December
By Ola Kay
The Federal Government has finally halted the production, sale and distribution of alcohol beverages in sachets and 200 milligrammes bottles and this takes effect from January 2026.
The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) at a media briefing said that enforcement measures will commence by January 1, 2026.
And, in an effort to increase the strength of its workforce in order to improve regulatory enforcement, the NAFDAC said that the Federal Government has granted its request to recruit additional 1,000 staff starting from December.
OBITUARY
At a media briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said that following the resolution of the Senate and directive by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the agency has approved a total ban on the sale of alcohol beverages in sachets and small-volume PET/glass bottles (below 200ml) by December 2025,
The DG NAFDAC said: “This decisive action, ordered by the Nigerian Senate and backed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, underscores the agency’s statutory mandate to safeguard public health and protect vulnerable populations—particularly children, adolescents and young adults—from the harmful use of alcohol.”
Adeyeye stressed that the uncontrolled spread of high-alcohol-content beverages in sachets and small containers has made such products easily accessible, affordable and concealable, fuelling widespread abuse and addiction among minors and commercial drivers.
The NAFDAC boss also observed that proliferation of alcohol in various forms and quantities does not only constitute health risk but a national security threat as early consumption of alcohol by youths ultimately leads to drug intake and associated criminal conducts.
She stressed on the danger of indecent alcohol consumption that, “This public health menace has been linked to increased incidences of domestic violence, road accidents, school dropouts, and social vices across communities.”
She disclosed that the ban is not punitive; but 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. 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 reiterates that only two categories of alcoholic beverages are affected by this regulation—spirit drinks packaged in sachets and small-volume PET/glass bottles below 200ml.”
She informed that the agency had embarked on series of collaborations to check proliferation of alcohol consumption: “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 moratorium was later extended to December 2025 to allow industry operators to exhaust old stock and reconfigure production lines. NAFDAC emphasizes that the current Senate resolution aligns with the spirit and letter of that agreement and with Nigeria’s commitment to the World Health Organization’s Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol (WHA63.13, 2010), to which Nigeria is a signatory.”
Adeyeye called on stakeholders, including manufacturers, distributors and retailers, to comply fully with the phase-out deadline, as there will be no further extension beyond December 2025.
On plans to ensure effective enforcement of the ban, Adeyeye said NAFDAC will continue to work collaboratively with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and the National Orientation Agency (NOA), to carry out campaigns, stressing on the dangers and the health implications of alcohol misuse.
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