NAFDAC Reaffirms Ban on Sachet Alcohol, Calls for Strict Compliance
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has reaffirmed its ban on the production, sale, and consumption of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles of less than 200 millilitres.
The agency said enforcement of the directive is already underway across production and distribution channels nationwide.
Speaking with our correspondent, the South-South Zonal Public Relations Officer of NAFDAC, Cyril Monye, disclosed that regulatory actions are currently focused on manufacturers and distributors to ensure full compliance with the ban.
“The enforcement has started in manufacturing points and distribution points, you know they don’t manufacture these things in Rivers State but in Lagos, a lot has been going on there and in other places where they manufacture them. So, when you cut it off from the source, you have done the damage”
He added that the agency is intensifying its efforts and will soon establish a dedicated task force to monitor retail outlets, with a view to enforcing adherence at the point of sale.
“With time, we will also go to shops, people are being informed through radio stations and other mediums that it is time for them to stop selling or buying alcohol in pet bottles and sachets “
Cyril Monye, however, clarified that the directive is not aimed at prohibiting alcohol consumption, but rather at addressing public health concerns, particularly among young people.
“The government is not banning it because they don’t want people to stop taking alcohol. Alcohol is supposed to be meant for adults and when they are produced in sachets, children easily have access to it, and it is not good for their health “.
According to him, the widespread availability of small, low-cost alcohol sachets and bottles has made it easier for underage individuals to access alcoholic drinks, thereby increasing the risk of abuse and associated health and social problems.
He stressed that the ban is part of broader measures by NAFDAC to safeguard public health, reduce harmful consumption patterns, and maintain regulatory standards within Nigeria’s beverage industry.
“It is against international law. Nigeria is a signatory to convention that prohibited children from having access to alcohol. So, we are following the law”
The agency urged manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to comply fully with the directive, warning that violators would face appropriate sanctions.
