Why we banned sachet alcohol \u2013 NAFDAC<\/p>\n
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has stated why it begun enforcement ban on alcoholic beverages sold in sachets and in PET or glass bottles below 200ml, citing serious public health concerns, particularly for children.<\/p>\n
In a video shared by the agency on Tuesday on its X handle, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, addressed the media, explaining that the measure is not aimed at adult consumption but is necessary to protect minors from early exposure to high-concentration alcohol.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not opposed to use of alcohol for adults. Adults\u2019 physiological makeup is more matured to handle alcohol. But the point is, children are not small adults. Children are children. Their physiology is for children.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen a child consumes alcohol or starts consuming alcohol early, their systems are exposed to alcohol early. So what the systems, their physiological systems cannot handle. Their physiological systems are exposed to alcohol early and there is always damage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adeyeye emphasised that the concentration of alcohol in sachets can be dangerously high.<\/p>\n
\u201cSuch as alcohol has concentration of like 43% alcohol. You can drink 2 sachets that are 10 times more than beer\u2026 because beer is about 6 to 8% alcohol. But some of the sachets of alcohol contain up to 43% alcohol,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n
The Director-General outlined the timeline and background of the enforcement, noting that the ban had been discussed with relevant stakeholders over several years<\/p>\n
\u201cI joined NABLAC in 2017\u2026 and we said, OK, we cannot ban it now. Let\u2019s reduce the concentration. But as we were doing all this, they went to the Ministry of Health in 2018 to report NABLAC. So meetings were called\u2026 finally, in 2018, the Ministry of Health said, OK, let\u2019s give a moratorium of five years. Because the complaints were going to affect jobs in 2018.<\/p>\n
\u201cMoratorium of five years for them to re-evaluate their work business plan. So that at the end of five years, there will not be sachet of alcohol, or alcohol in PET less than 200ml. All of us signed. NABLAC, Ministry of Health, D-BAN, and AFBT,\u201d she stated.<\/p>\n
She explained that enforcement was initially delayed pending consultations. \u201cWe started enforcing February 1st, 2024\u2026 then we had to stop\u2026 Just to make sure that we agreed, come to some agreement. At the end of 2024, December, the minister said we should give a moratorium, an extra one year, to 2025, December. And that\u2019s what we are doing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adeyeye also addressed adult consumption, warning that even adults face risks if alcohol is taken in unsafe ways. \u201cEven taking it, even as an adult, while working, may be dangerous. That is how easy a sachet of alcohol can be accessed,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
PUNCH Online reported that enforcement follows a November 11, 2025, announcement by NAFDAC to implement the ban by December 2025, aligning with a directive from the Senate. However, civil society organisations and employees of companies producing sachet alcohol protested the ban, citing potential economic impact.<\/p>\n
Employees under the Food, Beverages, and Tobacco Senior Staff Association and the National Union of Food, Beverages, and Tobacco Employees warned that \u201cno fewer than five million Nigerians would be affected, directly and indirectly, by the ban,\u201d during demonstrations at NAFDAC\u2019s Lagos office.<\/p>\n
Adeyeye stressed that the policy is grounded in science and global best practices. The World Health Assembly had a meeting before my time, 2010, that all countries should debate on making alcohol inaccessible to children. And over 183 countries signed, including Nigeria, that we will not make alcohol accessible to children,\u201d she said<\/p>\n
The NAFDAC DG emphasised that,\u201cChildren cannot handle alcohol the way adults can. Their organs are still growing. Adults can decide to drink themselves to death. I\u2019m sorry. They are responsible. But children, no. That is why we are enforcing this ban.\u201d(Punch)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Why we banned sachet alcohol \u2013 NAFDAC The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has stated why it begun enforcement ban on alcoholic beverages sold in sachets and in PET or glass bottles below 200ml, citing serious public health concerns, particularly for children. In a video shared by the agency on Tuesday […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":149836,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2699,383,2700],"class_list":["post-149835","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-others","tag-ban-on-alcoholic-beverages","tag-nafdac","tag-sachets"],"yoast_head":"\n