The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has reaffirmed that the nationwide ban on the production and sale of sachet alcoholic drinks remains in force, insisting there will be no reversal of the policy aimed at protecting public health, particularly among young people.
The agency said enforcement of the ban is already underway across the country, with manufacturers, distributors and marketers of alcoholic beverages packaged in containers below 200 millilitres coming under increased regulatory scrutiny.
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, NAFDAC’s South-East Zonal Director, Dr. Festus Ukadike, disclosed that enforcement teams had begun crackdowns in states across the region, leading to arrests and seizures of prohibited products.
According to him, the operation has covered Enugu, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi and Anambra States, adding that the next phase of the exercise would focus on removing the remaining sachet alcohol products from the market.
Ukadike stressed that the agency’s decision was driven by the need to curb underage drinking and reduce the growing health risks associated with easy access to alcoholic beverages.
“There is no going back on the ban. Our priority is to protect the health and future of Nigerian children and young people. If our children are no longer exposed to sachet alcohol, they will live healthier lives, curb antisocial behaviours and support the country’s fight against cancer and other terminal diseases,” he said.
He explained that the policy does not prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages entirely, noting that manufacturers are still permitted to produce alcohol in bottles and containers of 200ml and above.
Ukadike dismissed concerns that the ban would negatively affect businesses, saying the policy was designed to encourage responsible alcohol consumption rather than disrupt legitimate commercial activities.
Responding to complaints over affordability, the NAFDAC official maintained that public health considerations must take precedence over commercial interests.
“In the next 12 months, Nigeria should have a standard regulatory environment where no alcoholic drink is packaged in containers smaller than 200ml,” he added.
The renewed enforcement has, however, generated mixed reactions among consumers.
While some residents welcomed the move as a necessary step to discourage underage drinking and reduce alcohol abuse, others argued that it would make alcoholic beverages less affordable for low-income earners.
One consumer, Charles Otubo, suggested that rather than impose a nationwide ban, authorities should restrict the sale of sachet alcohol in motor parks to reduce the incidence of drunk driving and road accidents.
Another resident, who identified himself simply as Godwin, backed the ban, saying he had repeatedly seen schoolchildren buying sachet alcoholic drinks, hiding them in their school bags and taking them to school.
He urged regulators to restrict the sale of alcoholic beverages to licensed liquor stores to prevent minors from gaining easy access to them.
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