Nigeria bans sachet alcohol, cites risks to children’s health, behaviour

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has commenced enforcement of a ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages produced in sachets, small-volume PET bottles, and glass bottles below 200 ml.

NAFDAC’s Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this on Monday at a press conference in Abuja, stating that the ban would be effective from Thursday, February 1, 2024.

“As of January 31, 2024, there is no alcoholic beverage in these categories that are registered by NAFDAC,” Adeyeye said.

“I also want to inform you that the agency has started enforcement actions to enforce the implementation of this policy. The window period given to manufacturers by NAFDAC to sell off all alcoholic drinks in this category elapsed on January 31, 2024.

“To this end on the first day, after the elapse of the window period, the agency commenced nationwide enforcement actions on February 1, 2024, to enforce the implementation of the new policy.”

The Director-General disclosed that the ban was based on the recommendation of a high-powered committee of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and the industry represented by the Association of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) and the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) in December 2018.

Adeyeye said the people most at risk of the negative effects of consuming the banned pack sizes of alcoholic beverages are underage and commercial vehicle drivers and riders.

The World Health Organisation, according to the NAFDAC boss, has established that children who drink alcohol are more likely to: use drugs, get bad grades, suffer injury or death, engage in risky sexual activity, make bad decisions and have health problems.

Adeyeye also disclosed that, in the course of enforcing the ban, the agency has discovered that manufacturers are still producing or possessing banned products and packaging materials, noting that this is a serious violation.

“This situation is of course not acceptable, and the Agency views this as flagrant disobedience to the laws of Nigeria. NAFDAC views this matter seriously and will engage all statutory means, which may include prosecution, to deal with the matter.”

Adeyeye, however, urged all holders of banned alcohol products and packaging materials to surrender them for destruction to avoid further consequences.