By| Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has commenced full enforcement of the Federal Government’s ban on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET/plastic bottles below 200ml, warning manufacturers and distributors of severe sanctions for violating the directive.
The agency, in a press briefing in Lagos on Monday, said the enforcement followed the execution of an Irrevocable Enforcement Undertaking by the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) and their member companies.
Under the undertaking, affected manufacturers are required to immediately recall all alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET bottles below 200ml from distributors, warehouses and other points within the supply chain.
NAFDAC said the recalled products would be subjected to inventory verification and subsequently destroyed under its supervision, with the manufacturers bearing the full cost of the destruction.
The agency stressed that the ban was not an abrupt policy, noting that it followed years of consultations involving regulators, manufacturers and government agencies.
The process began in 2018 when NAFDAC raised concerns over the widespread availability of high-alcohol-content drinks in sachets and small bottles, which it said were cheap, easily concealed and readily accessible to minors.
Following consultations involving NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), DIBAN and AFBTE, a five-year moratorium was agreed in December 2018.
The moratorium gave manufacturers until January 31, 2024, to reconfigure production lines, move to larger packaging formats and phase out sachet alcohol and other small-volume containers.
When the deadline expired, NAFDAC commenced enforcement in February 2024. However, the exercise faced resistance from industry stakeholders and attracted the intervention of the National Assembly.
The Federal Government subsequently extended the deadline to December 31, 2025, allowing manufacturers additional time to adjust their operations and dispose of existing stock.
NAFDAC said the ban eventually took effect on January 1, 2026, covering alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets, PET bottles below 200ml and glass bottles below 200ml.
According to the agency, the objective is to reduce underage drinking, alcohol abuse and the easy accessibility of highly concentrated alcoholic beverages.
NAFDAC said independent research cited in support of the enforcement showed that 47.2 per cent of minors and 48.8 per cent of underage consumers procure alcoholic drinks in sachets, while 41.2 per cent of minors and 47.2 per cent of underage consumers procure them in PET bottles.
The agency said it began a first-tier enforcement exercise in January 2026, targeting manufacturers, with prohibited products found in factories evacuated and destroyed.
By July, NAFDAC had commenced a second-tier nationwide mop-up operation across markets, motor parks, retail outlets, bars and distribution centres to remove banned products from circulation.
The agency disclosed that some factories were shut and staff arrested after companies were found to be producing sachet alcohol despite the ban.
NAFDAC said DIBAN and AFBTE were subsequently required to execute the Irrevocable Enforcement Undertaking on behalf of their members before affected facilities could be reopened.
The agency said manufacturers seeking to reopen sealed facilities must provide evidence that production lines used for prohibited package sizes have been dismantled, permanently disabled or reconfigured to prevent further production.
Such dismantling or reconfiguration, it added, must be carried out under the direct supervision and verification of NAFDAC officials.
The reopening of affected facilities will also be subject to full compliance with the nationwide recall directive, payment of applicable investigative charges and regulatory fees, destruction of recalled products under NAFDAC supervision, and satisfactory inspection and certification by the agency.
NAFDAC further warned that companies that fail to comply risk continued closure of their facilities, placement on its Regulatory Watchlist, suspension or revocation of product registrations and criminal prosecution where applicable.
The agency also disclosed that investigative charges had been imposed on defaulting companies found to have violated regulatory directives on the manufacture and distribution of alcoholic beverages in prohibited package sizes.
NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, said the agency remained committed to protecting public health and reducing harmful alcohol consumption, particularly among children and young people.
She urged members of the public to report the manufacture, sale or distribution of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET bottles below 200ml through NAFDAC’s official communication channels or its nearest office.
NAFDAC maintained that the enforcement is aimed not at banning alcohol consumption, but at eliminating prohibited small-volume packaging considered to facilitate access to alcoholic products by children and young people.
