…debunks closure of alcohol companies
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has insisted on continuing enforcement of the ban on production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small-volume PET/glass bottles (below 200ml) despite protests from stakeholders.
The organised labour and food and beverage workers had protested against the ban, warning that the policy could lead to widespread factory closures and the loss of millions of jobs across the value chain.
They argued that sachet and PET bottles are often labeled to read ‘not for children’, but NAFDAC insisted that such measure will not work.
“It cannot be enforced because of the peculiarity of society. Many parents don’t know their children take alcohol in sachet because the pack size can be easily concealed and the sachet is cheap,†Mojisola Adeyeye, director-general of NAFADC said in a statement on Thursday.
Adeyeye, explained that the proliferation of high-alcohol-content beverages in sachets and small containers less than 200 ml has made such products easily accessible, affordable, and concealable, leading to widespread misuse and resultant addiction among minors and some commercial drivers.
“This public health menace has been linked to increased incidences of domestic violence, road accidents, school dropouts, and social vices across communitiesâ€, she stated.
She added that the ban was ordered by the Nigerian Senate and backed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and underscored the Agencys statutory mandate to safeguard public health and protect vulnerable populations, particularly children, adolescents, and young adults from the harmful use of alcohol.
The NAFDAC Boss further recalled a six-year moratorium given to manufacturers to reconfigure their product lines. She explained that the NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC)had in December 2018, signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) and the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) to phase out sachet and small-volume alcohol packaging by January 31, 2024.
She noted that the moratorium was later extended to December 2025 to allow industry operators to exhaust old stock and reconfigure production lines.
The DG further clarified that the ban does not mean closure of any company that makes alcohol, but only two packages of alcoholic beverages are affected by the regulation.
“This ban is not punitive; it is protective. The decision is rooted in scientific evidence and public health considerations. We cannot continue to sacrifice the wellbeing of Nigerians for economic gain. The health of a nation is its true wealth,†she stated.
The Agency called on all stakeholders, including manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, to comply fully with the phase-out deadline, as no further extension will be entertained beyond December 2025.
“The ban on sachet packaging and PET bottles less than 200 ml is to make it difficult for children to get to alcohol and its consumption. NAFDAC approves alcohol in bigger pack sizes. The small of the sachet makes it easier for underage to conceal from parents and teachers. Report from schools show that children conceal the sachets. A teacher recently reported that a student said he couldn’t take an exam without taking sachet alcohol,†Adeyeye stressed.
The Agency vowed to continue to work collaboratively with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to implement nationwide sensitization campaigns on the health and social dangers associated with alcohol misuse.
