The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has resumed full enforcement of its long-standing ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small plastic or glass bottles below 200 millilitres, firmly dismissing widespread claims that the agency has shut down entire alcohol-producing companies.
In a statement issued on Thursday, NAFDAC Director-General Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye explained that the renewed crackdown aligns with a Senate resolution and the agency's core public health mandate to shield children, adolescents, and young adults from the harmful effects of easy access to alcohol. She stressed that the restriction targets only specific packaging formats—sachets and sub-200ml containers—while larger bottle sizes remain fully approved and unaffected.
Adeyeye directly addressed circulating reports of factory closures, clarifying that no alcohol manufacturer has been shut down. “The agency did not close down any company that makes alcohol,” she said. “We are only prohibiting the sale and production of alcohol in sachets and small containers less than 200ml.” The move, she added, aims to curb underage drinking and alcohol misuse, noting that simple warning labels like “not for children” have proven ineffective in Nigeria's social context due to poor enforcement and concealment risks.
The ban traces back to a 2018 Memorandum of Understanding between NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, and industry groups, which set a phased elimination of the problematic packaging by January 2024. An extension pushed the final deadline to December 2025 to allow manufacturers time to adjust production lines and clear existing stock.
Enforcement had been paused for further stakeholder consultations, but NAFDAC now insists no additional extensions will be granted. The agency is collaborating with other regulators for nationwide compliance, including halting production of banned formats and securing warehouse stocks to prevent them from reaching markets.
The decision has sparked mixed reactions, with some industry stakeholders and unions arguing it threatens jobs and livelihoods, while health advocates praise it as a necessary step to protect vulnerable populations. As operations intensify, NAFDAC has urged manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to comply swiftly to avoid sanctions.
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