The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced be ban on the registration of alcohol in a sachet, small volume bottles below 200 millilitres.
The agency, in a statement released on Monday, said the development is part of its commitment to safeguarding the health vulnerable youths against reckless consumption of alcohol.
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director-General of the agency, said the decision to ban registration of new alcoholic drinks in sachet and small volume bottles above 30 per cent Alcohol by Volume (ABV) was taken in line with the 2018 recommendation of a high powered committee of the Federal Ministry of Health and NAFDAC.
Other bodies included in the committee include the Federal Competition, Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and Industry, Association of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE), and Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN).
NAFDAC said it had directed manufacturers of low volume alcohol beverages (200ml) with satisfactory laboratory reports already submitted to NAFDAC for registration before the decision to reformulate their products to stipulated standards free of charge.
According to the statement, “Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria was also given a matching order to embark on intensive nationwide sensitization campaigns against underage consumption of alcohol by adolescents below the age of 18 years in the bid to stem the tide of alcohol abuse in the country.
“Producers of alcohol in sachets and small volume agreed to reduce production by 50 per cent with effect from January 31, 2022, while ensuring the products are completely phased out in the country by January 31 2024.
“The agency is committed to the strict implementation of the regulations and regulatory measures towards safeguarding the health of Nigerians, particularly the vulnerable youths against the dangers of reckless consumption of alcohol.”
