By George Ozalla
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has commenced a nationwide enforcement operation to seize and remove from circulation alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles of 200 millilitres and below, following the expiration of the grace period granted to manufacturers and distributors.
The agency said the exercise marks the full implementation of the Federal Government’s directive aimed at reducing alcohol abuse and protecting public health, particularly among children and young people who are more vulnerable to the harmful effects of excessive alcohol consumption.
Announcing the commencement of the enforcement exercise, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, said the operation would be carried out simultaneously across the country to ensure full compliance with the ban.
She explained that enforcement teams had been deployed to markets, warehouses, retail outlets, supermarkets, motor parks, bars and other distribution channels to identify and confiscate the prohibited products.
Prof. Adeyeye said the exercise followed the expiration of the five-year moratorium granted to manufacturers, importers and distributors to phase out the production and sale of alcoholic drinks packaged in sachets and PET bottles below the approved volume.
According to her, the agency will not tolerate any violation of the regulations, warning that manufacturers, importers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers and transporters found producing, stocking or selling the banned products would face regulatory sanctions.
“The nationwide enforcement exercise is in the interest of public health and safety. The time allowed for compliance has elapsed, and NAFDAC is committed to ensuring that the ban is fully implemented,” she said.
The Director-General stressed that the action was taken after extensive consultations with industry stakeholders and relevant government agencies, noting that the ban was not introduced without adequate notice.
She urged all operators in the alcoholic beverage value chain to comply with the directive by voluntarily withdrawing the affected products from circulation, warning that any prohibited products found during the enforcement operation would be confiscated.
Prof. Adeyeye also appealed to consumers to support the agency’s efforts by refusing to purchase the banned alcoholic beverages and reporting any individual or business involved in their production or sale to the nearest NAFDAC office.
She explained that the restriction applies only to alcoholic drinks packaged in sachets and PET bottles of 200ml and below, while products packaged in approved larger containers remain unaffected.
The Director-General reiterated NAFDAC’s commitment to protecting Nigerians from products capable of endangering public health, assuring that surveillance and enforcement activities would continue nationwide to ensure strict compliance with the regulations.
The ban on sachet alcohol and small-volume PET bottles forms part of measures adopted by the Federal Government and public health stakeholders to discourage excessive alcohol consumption, particularly among underage persons and other vulnerable groups.
NAFDAC urged manufacturers, distributors, retailers and members of the public to cooperate with the agency throughout the enforcement exercise, emphasizing that the objective is to safeguard public health and promote responsible alcohol consumption across the country.
