NAFDAC to ban sachets alcohol, small bottles by December 2025

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced it will fully enforce the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small bottles by December 2025.

The announcement was made by NAFDAC Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye, at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, following a new directive from the Nigeria Senate ordering the agency to implement the ban without further extensions.

The directive stems from a motion sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong of Cross River South, who highlighted concerns over repeated delays in phasing out these products despite growing health and social issues linked to their consumption.

Senator Ekpenyong recalled that in 2018, Nigeria signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with stakeholders including NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE), to gradually phase out high-strength alcohol in sachets.

The agreement, originally set to expire in 2023, was extended to December 2025 to allow manufacturers time to adjust production.

According to Mrs. Adeyeye, the ban applies to spirit drinks packaged in sachets or containers below 200 millilitres.

It is aimed at protecting public health, particularly among children, adolescents, and commercial drivers, by reducing easy access to cheap, high-alcohol-content products.

“The proliferation of these beverages has created a public health menace, contributing to domestic violence, road accidents, school dropouts, and other social vices,” Adeyeye said.

“This ban is not punitive; it is protective. The health of a nation is its true wealth, and we cannot compromise it for short-term economic gain.”

NAFDAC stressed that all stakeholders—including manufacturers, distributors, and retailers—must comply with the phase-out deadline, as no further extensions will be granted beyond December 2025.

The agency said it will continue to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to implement nationwide sensitization campaigns on the dangers of alcohol misuse.

“NAFDAC remains resolute in its mission to ensure that only safe, wholesome, and properly regulated products are available to Nigerians,” Mrs. Adeyeye affirmed.