NAFDAC Orders Ban on Sachet Alcohol by December 2025, Cites Risks to Minors, Public Health

By Emmanuel Kwada

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a final directive banning the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small bottles below 200ml, effective December 2025, with full enforcement starting January 2026.

The order, announced by NAFDAC Director-General Professor Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye during a press briefing in Abuja, follows a recent Senate resolution expressing alarm over the easy access of cheap, high-alcohol-content drinks to minors and commercial drivers.

“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,” Prof. Adeyeye said.

“This public health menace has been linked to increased incidences of domestic violence, road accidents, school dropouts, and social vices across communities.”

The ban targets only spirit drinks in sachets and PET/glass bottles under 200ml. Beer and wine products are unaffected.

NAFDAC had initially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in December 2018 with industry groups—including the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) and the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN)—to phase out such packaging by January 31, 2024. The deadline was extended to December 2025 to allow manufacturers to clear old stock and retool production lines.

Prof. Adeyeye stressed that the Senate’s resolution is absolute and no further extensions will be granted.

“This ban is not punitive; it is protective,” she declared. “It is aimed at safeguarding the health and future of our children and youth. The decision is rooted in scientific evidence and public health considerations. We cannot continue to sacrifice the well-being of Nigerians for short-term economic gain. The health of a nation is its true wealth.”

The directive aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to the World Health Organization’s Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol (2010).

NAFDAC will partner with security agencies to enforce compliance nationwide, including raids on non-compliant manufacturers, distributors, and retailers after the deadline.

The agency also plans joint sensitization campaigns with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to educate the public on the dangers of alcohol misuse.

Manufacturers and retailers have been urged to fully comply by December 2025 to avoid sanctions.

In a signed press statement dated November 11, 2025, Prof. Adeyeye reaffirmed NAFDAC’s “unwavering commitment” to protecting vulnerable populations, particularly children, adolescents, and young adults, from the harmful effects of alcohol.