The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has announced that the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and bottles smaller than 200 millilitres will be prohibited by December 2025.
The agency’s Director General, Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, noting that the decision was part of efforts to address the growing misuse of cheap alcoholic drinks among youths and 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.
“This public health menace has been linked to increased incidences of domestic violence, road accidents, school dropouts, and social vices across communities,” Adeyeye said.
The came after the Senate on Thursday directed NAFDAC to implement a total ban on the production and sale of alcoholic drinks packaged in sachets and containers below 200 millilitres by December 2025, insisting that no further extension of the deadline would be allowed.
Adeyeye, explained that the directive followed a Senate resolution raising concerns about the availability of low-cost alcoholic beverages in sachets, which have reportedly contributed to social and health problems.
She recalled that NAFDAC had previously entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with stakeholders to implement a phased withdrawal of the products, with earlier deadlines postponed from 2023 to 2025.
However, she stressed that the Senate’s latest resolution is final, warning that no further extensions will be granted.
She urged manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to begin full compliance ahead of the enforcement date.
Adeyeye clarified that the ban is a protective measure, not a punitive one, aimed at safeguarding public health.
