NAFDAC Begins Crackdown on Sachet, Small-Size Alcohol

targets drinks below 200ml, cites threat to children, public health

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has commenced enforcement of the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small containers below 200 millilitres, in a renewed move to curb the harmful effects of alcohol on vulnerable Nigerians.

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

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), NAFDAC had earlier announced on November 11, 2025, that it would implement a total ban on the production and sale of sachet and small-size alcoholic beverages by December 2025, in line with a Senate directive.

However, the enforcement was temporarily suspended after the Federal Government directed NAFDAC to halt all actions pending consultations with stakeholders and a final decision.

Speaking at the briefing, Adeyeye said the agency had resumed enforcement to protect public health, particularly children, adolescent, and young adults who are increasingly exposed to high-alcohol content drinks due to their affordability and easy accessibility.

“We have already started the enforcement to ban alcohol production in sachets and bottles below 200ml after receiving the order from the Senate to proceed,” she said.

“NAFDAC is not against alcohol, but against the proliferation of high-alcohol content beverages in sachets and small bottles that make it easy for children to access and abuse alcohol.”

Adeyeye revealed that before her tenure, sachet alcohol products contained between 50 and 90 per cent alcohol concentration, describing the level as dangerously high.

She explained that when NAFDAC directed manufacturers to reduce the alcohol content to 30 percent, the producers resisted, citing potential job losses and economic implications.

“The manufacturers went directly to the ministry to complain about the policy, claiming it would affect investments and employment,” she said.

According to her, the Federal Ministry of Health later granted manufacturers a five-year grace period, from December 2018 to January 31, 2024, to restructure their operations and comply with the new regulatory framework.

Adeyeye reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to safeguarding the health of Nigerians, stressing that the agency would continue to prioritise the protection of vulnerable groups through strict regulatory enforcement.