NAFDAC Begins Enforcement of Ban on Sachet, Small-Bottle Alcohol

By Ojoma Akor

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intensified nationwide enforcement of the Federal Government’s ban on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET/plastic bottles below 200ml.

The agency said the enforcement, aimed at reducing underage drinking and harmful alcohol consumption, followed an irrevocable enforcement Undertaking signed by the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE), and their member companies.

NAFDAC Director-General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye disclosed this during a press briefing in Lagos, saying the agency would ensure prohibited alcoholic products are removed from the Nigerian market.

The ban, she explained, resulted from years of consultations involving NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), DIBAN and AFBTE.

NAFDAC said concerns over the widespread availability of high-alcohol-content beverages in small, inexpensive packages were first formally raised in 2018, particularly because the products were cheap, easily concealed and readily accessible to children and young people.

Following negotiations with manufacturers, the government agreed to a five-year moratorium beginning in 2019, giving the industry until January 31, 2024, to reconfigure production lines, transition to larger packaging and phase out sachet alcohol and small-volume bottles.

When the moratorium expired, NAFDAC commenced enforcement in February 2024. However, resistance from industry stakeholders and intervention by the National Assembly led to further consultations and an extension of the deadline to December 31, 2025.

Ban takes effect

The full ban took effect on January 1, 2026, covering alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets, PET/plastic bottles below 200ml and glass bottles below 200ml.

NAFDAC said the policy was intended to reduce easy access to highly concentrated alcoholic beverages and protect children and young people from alcohol-related harm.

The agency cited research showing high levels of access to alcohol in small packages among minors. According to the figures presented by NAFDAC, 47.2 percent of minors and 48.8 percent of underage persons surveyed procured alcoholic drinks in sachets, while 41.2 percent of minors and 47.2 percent of underage persons procured alcohol in PET bottles.

NAFDAC said it had implemented its enforcement strategy in phases.

In January 2026, the agency began its first-tier enforcement, targeting manufacturers, and evacuated and destroyed prohibited products found at production facilities.

The agency stressed that the policy was not a general ban on alcohol consumption. Still, it targeted the proliferation of alcoholic beverages in small, inexpensive containers that could make access easier for children and young people.

By July, NAFDAC said it had commenced nationwide second-tier mop-up operations targeting markets, motor parks, retail outlets, bars and distribution centers.

The operations uncovered banned products at distribution centers and other points within the supply chain, prompting further regulatory action against companies found to be violating the ban.

Factories shut, workers arrested

NAFDAC said some factories found to be producing sachet alcohol despite the ban had been shut, while staff of companies involved in continued production were arrested.

It said DIBAN and AFBTE were subsequently required to sign the Irrevocable Enforcement Undertaking on behalf of their members, committing them to stop manufacturing alcoholic beverages in sachets and PET bottles below 200ml.

Under the undertaking, affected manufacturers must immediately begin a nationwide recall of prohibited products from distributors, warehouses, and other points within the supply chain.

They must also submit periodic compliance reports to NAFDAC.

The agency said all recalled products would undergo inventory verification and be destroyed under its supervision, with manufacturers bearing the full cost.

NAFDAC warned that affected factories would not be allowed to resume operations until they provide evidence that production lines used to manufacture prohibited pack sizes have been dismantled, permanently disabled or reconfigured

The agency said reopening any sealed facility would require full compliance with the recall directive, payment of applicable investigative charges and regulatory fees.

NAFDAC urges public vigilance

Adeyeye said NAFDAC remained committed to protecting public health and reducing harmful alcohol consumption, particularly among children and young people.

She said the agency would continue to engage industry stakeholders while enforcing regulations designed to safeguard Nigerians’ health and well-being.

NAFDAC urged members of the public to report the manufacture, sale, or distribution of alcoholic beverages in sachets and PET bottles below 200ml through its official communication channels or at the nearest NAFDAC office.

The agency said sustained enforcement was necessary to ensure that years of consultation, transition, and regulatory action ultimately led to removing prohibited alcoholic products from the Nigerian market.