A nationwide survey by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC has revealed that Rivers and Lagos states emerged as hotspots in the consumption of sachet and small-bottle alcoholic drinks among minors and underage persons.
The study, conducted in collaboration with the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria and carried out by Research and Data Solutions Ltd, Abuja, surveyed 1,788 respondents across six states between June and August 2021. It examined access to alcohol and drinking frequency among minors (below 13 years), underaged persons (13–17 years) and adults (18 years and above).
Presenting the findings, Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, described alcohol as “one of the most widely used substances of abuse among youths,” warning that its availability and ease of access are fuelling rising consumption among children and teenagers.
According to the report, 54.3 per cent of minors and underage respondents obtained alcohol by themselves, with nearly half (49.9 per cent) purchasing drinks packaged in sachets or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles.
Rivers State recorded the highest rates — 68.0 per cent for sachets and 64.5 per cent for PET bottles — while Lagos State followed with 52.3 per cent and 47.7 per cent respectively. Kaduna State posted 38.6 per cent sachet and 28.4 per cent PET bottle consumption.
The survey further showed that sachet purchases were higher among males (51.4 per cent) than females (41.5 per cent), and more prevalent in rural areas (50.1 per cent) than urban locations (45.3 per cent).
Beyond direct purchases, minors and underaged respondents accessed alcohol through friends and relatives (49.9 per cent), social gatherings (45.9 per cent) and even parents’ homes (21.7 per cent), underscoring the depth of exposure within communities.
Among those who bought alcohol themselves, 47.2 per cent of minors and 48.8 per cent of underaged respondents procured sachets, while 41.2 per cent of minors and 47.2 per cent of underaged persons purchased PET bottles.
On drinking frequency, 63.2 per cent of minors and 54.0 per cent of underaged respondents described themselves as occasional drinkers. However, 9.3 per cent of minors and a troubling 25.2 per cent of underaged persons reported drinking daily.
Public health experts warn that early exposure to alcohol significantly increases the risk of substance dependence, impaired cognitive development and mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety. The pattern, they caution, may also heighten vulnerability to risky behaviours, cult-related activities and violent crime among youths.
Security analysts have repeatedly linked substance abuse among young people to rising incidents of street violence, sexual assault, traffic offences and other criminal activities in urban centres. The normalisation of alcohol consumption at increasingly younger ages, they warn, could compound Nigeria’s existing security and social challenges.
NAFDAC urged stricter regulatory measures, noting that access to alcohol by children can be curtailed if easily concealable pack sizes are removed from circulation.
“A ban on small pack sizes, including sachets and bottles below 200 millilitres, can reduce the menace of underage drinking,” the report stated.
It also called on parents, teachers, religious leaders and community stakeholders to treat underage drinking as a serious social alarm.
“Consumption of alcohol by children should raise alarm for parents, teachers, religious leaders and the community at large,” the agency said.
The findings, observers note, underscore the urgency of coordinated policy interventions, enforcement of age restrictions and sustained public awareness campaigns to prevent what could evolve into a broader crisis of youth addiction, crime and mental health disorders across Nigeria’s urban and rural communities.
