The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has begun enforcing the ban on the production and sale of alcohol in sachets and PET bottles smaller than 200ml.
The agency’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, announced this on Wednesday at a media parley in Lagos.
NAFDAC had initially announced on November 11, 2025, that it would enforce a total ban on these products by December 2025, in line with a directive from the Senate. Enforcement had been temporarily halted after the Federal Government called for a suspension of all actions pending consultations and a final directive.
Adeyeye said that NAFDAC has now received a matching order from the Senate to proceed, and enforcement has commenced.
She explained that the move aims to safeguard public health and protect vulnerable populations—particularly children, adolescents, and young adults—from the harmful effects of alcohol.
“The proliferation of high-alcohol-content beverages in sachets and small bottles has made these products easily accessible, affordable, and concealable,” Adeyeye said.
“We have already started enforcing the ban on alcohol production in sachets and bottles below 200ml after receiving the Senate’s directive. NAFDAC is not against alcohol, but we oppose its proliferation in small containers to prevent easy access by children,” she added.
The Director-General noted that before her tenure, sachet alcohol contained between 50 and 90 percent alcohol, which she described as extremely high.
“We asked manufacturers to reduce the content to 30 percent. They approached the Ministry of Health to express their concerns, citing potential job and investment losses. The then Minister of Health allowed a five-year transition period from December 2018 to January 31, 2024, for compliance,” she said.
Adeyeye reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to protecting public health and the safety of vulnerable groups, particularly children, through its regulatory activities.
