The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced that the enforcement of its ban on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and bottles smaller than 200ml will begin in December 2025.
The agency said the decision follows a Senate resolution expressing growing concern over the easy access of cheap alcohol in sachets by minors and vulnerable groups.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, stressed that the move is aimed at protecting public health and would not be reversed or postponed.
“This ban is not punitive; it is protective. It is aimed at safeguarding the health and future of our children and youth,” Adeyeye said, warning that no extension will be entertained beyond December 2025.
According to her, sachet and small-bottle alcoholic drinks have become a public health risk due to their affordability and accessibility, especially among commercial drivers and underage drinkers.
“The proliferation of high-alcohol-content beverages in sachets and small containers has made such products easily accessible, affordable, and concealable, leading to widespread misuse and addiction among minors and commercial drivers,” she explained.
Adeyeye emphasized that the agency’s decision was “rooted in scientific evidence and public health considerations,”despite opposition from manufacturers who fear job losses.
“We cannot continue to sacrifice the well-being of Nigerians for short-term economic gain.
The health of a nation is its true wealth,” she added.
She revealed that misuse of these products has been linked to domestic violence, road accidents, school dropouts, and other social vices across several communities.
In 2018, NAFDAC signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and industry bodies such as the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) and the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN).
The agreement aimed to phase out the production and sale of alcoholic drinks in sachets and small bottles by January 2024.
However, following protests by DIBAN in Lagos, which claimed the move would lead to massive job losses, NAFDAC extended the deadline to December 2025 to allow manufacturers to exhaust existing stock and adjust their production lines.
Adeyeye has now confirmed that no further extension will be granted, warning that all non-compliant businesses will face strict sanctions starting January 2026.
“These closures also build on our digitisation efforts to streamline operations and protect public health,” the agency stated in part.
To ensure compliance, NAFDAC will partner with security agencies beginning January 2026 to enforce the ban.
Retailers and manufacturers have been urged to align their production and sales practices with the new directive before the deadline.
Meanwhile, the agency reassured the public that it remains committed to safeguarding Nigerians’ health, adding that its decisions are guided by long-term public safety priorities.
“This public health menace must end. Our goal is to build a society where alcohol consumption is controlled, responsible, and not harmful to our youth,” Adeyeye concluded.
