By Uboh-Ekong Treasure
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has reaffirmed its commitment to fully enforce the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small bottles (below 200 millilitres) by December 2025.
The agency said the move is aimed at protecting public health and reducing alcohol misuse among young people and other vulnerable groups. After the deadline, strict enforcement will begin in January 2026.
In a statement signed by NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the agency said the decision follows a recent directive from the Senate and has the full support of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Prof. Adeyeye explained that the policy is not meant to punish producers, but to protect Nigerians, especially the youth, from the harmful effects of alcohol abuse.
“This ban is protective. It is aimed at saving our children and youth from the dangers of alcohol misuse. We cannot continue to sacrifice the wellbeing of Nigerians for short-term economic gain,” she said.
The regulation applies only to spirit drinks packaged in sachets and small bottles below 200ml, while larger bottles and other alcoholic drinks are not affected.
According to NAFDAC, the widespread sale of cheap, high alcohol drinks in sachets and small bottles has contributed to serious social problems such as addiction, domestic violence, road accidents, and school dropouts.
The ban is part of an agreement first signed in 2018 between NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and industry associations, including the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) and the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN). The agreement gave producers five years to phase out sachet and small bottle alcohol by January 2024. However, the deadline was later extended to December 2025 to allow companies to finish existing stock and adjust their production lines.
NAFDAC stressed that no further extensions will be granted beyond December 2025, meaning that all companies must stop producing and selling alcohol in sachets and small bottles before the deadline. From January 2026, the agency will begin full enforcement of the ban.
To ensure compliance, NAFDAC will work closely with the Federal Ministry of Health, the FCCPC, and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to raise public awareness about the dangers of alcohol misuse.
The agency also said it is strengthening its workforce and will increase market surveillance to prevent the continued sale of these products after the ban takes effect.
NAFDAC maintained that the health and safety of Nigerians come first, adding that protecting the nation’s youth is a key priority.
