The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has commenced enforcement of the ban on the production and distribution of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and plastic bottles below 200 millilitres. The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, announced this on Wednesday during a media briefing in Lagos.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the agency had earlier declared on November 11, 2025, that it would implement a total ban on such products by December 2025, following a resolution of the Senate. The move was later put on hold after the Federal Government ordered a temporary suspension to allow for further consultations.
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Adeyeye, however, said NAFDAC has now received a formal directive from the Senate to proceed, adding that enforcement has already begun nationwide. She explained that the ban is aimed at protecting public health, especially safeguarding children, adolescents and young adults from the dangers associated with alcohol abuse. Adeyeye noted that the widespread availability of high-alcohol-content drinks in sachets and small containers has made them cheap, easily accessible and easy to conceal, increasing the risk of misuse among young people.
“We have commenced enforcement against the production of alcohol in sachets and bottles below 200ml after receiving the Senate’s order,” she said. “NAFDAC is not opposed to alcohol consumption, but we are concerned about the proliferation of highly concentrated alcohol in small packages that make access easy for children.”
She recalled that before her appointment, some sachet alcohol products contained between 50 and 90 per cent alcohol, which she described as dangerously high. Although manufacturers were directed to reduce the alcohol content to 30 per cent, she said some resisted the move, citing fears of job losses and reduced investments.
As a result, the then Minister of Health granted producers a five-year grace period, from December 2018 to January 31, 2024, to restructure their operations.Adeyeye reaffirmed NAFDAC’s resolve to prioritise public safety, stressing that the agency would continue to use regulatory measures to protect vulnerable groups and promote national health.
