By George Ozalla

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has commenced full enforcement of the Federal Government approved prohibition of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET or plastic bottles below 200ml.

The Agency, in a press briefing issued on Monday, August 24, 2026, said the enforcement followed the execution of an Irrevocable Enforcement Undertaking by the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE), and their member companies to eliminate prohibited alcoholic products from the Nigerian market.

According to NAFDAC, the ban was not an abrupt decision but the outcome of several years of consultations involving regulators, manufacturers, government agencies and other stakeholders.

The Agency said concerns over the widespread availability of high alcohol content drinks in sachets and small bottles were first raised in 2018, particularly because such products were inexpensive, easy to conceal and readily accessible to minors.

The discussions involved NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), DIBAN and AFBTE.

Following the consultations, manufacturers were granted a five year moratorium through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in December 2018. The arrangement gave the industry until January 31, 2024, to reconfigure production lines, move to larger packaging formats and phase out sachet alcohol and small volume containers.

When the moratorium expired in January 2024, NAFDAC commenced enforcement of the phase out. However, the enforcement faced resistance from some industry stakeholders and attracted the intervention of the National Assembly.

Following further consultations and lobbying by the industry, the Federal Government extended the deadline to December 31, 2025, giving manufacturers and distributors additional time to adjust their production processes and dispose of existing stock.

The full ban subsequently took effect on January 1, 2026, covering alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets, PET bottles below 200ml and glass bottles below 200ml.

NAFDAC said the policy was designed to reduce underage drinking, alcohol abuse and easy access to highly concentrated alcoholic beverages, particularly among children and young persons.

The Agency said independent research cited in support of the enforcement showed that 47.2 per cent of minors and 48.8 per cent of underage persons procured alcoholic drinks in sachets, while 41.2 per cent of minors and 47.2 per cent of underage persons procured alcohol in PET bottles.

NAFDAC said its enforcement strategy was being implemented in tiers, beginning with manufacturers. In January 2026, the Agency commenced the first tier of enforcement after receiving legislative backing from the Senate, with any prohibited products found at manufacturing facilities evacuated and destroyed.

The Agency explained that its action was not targeted at alcohol consumption itself but at the proliferation of high alcohol content products in small and inexpensive containers that could make alcoholic beverages more accessible to children and young people.

By July 2026, NAFDAC commenced nationwide second tier mop up operations across markets, motor parks, retail outlets, bars and distribution centres to seize remaining sachet alcoholic drinks and alcoholic beverages packaged in PET bottles below 200ml.

The Agency said banned products were still being discovered at some distribution centres, constituting violations of the prohibition. It added that some factories had been closed and staff of companies still producing sachet alcoholic beverages arrested.

As part of the enforcement measures, NAFDAC required DIBAN and AFBTE to execute an Irrevocable Enforcement Undertaking on behalf of their member companies, committing them to desist from manufacturing alcoholic beverages in sachets and PET bottles below 200ml before affected facilities could be reopened.

Under the undertaking, affected manufacturers are required to immediately commence nationwide recall of all alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET bottles below 200ml from distributors, warehouses and other points within the supply chain and submit periodic compliance reports to NAFDAC.

The Agency also imposed investigative charges on defaulting companies found to have violated regulatory directives relating to the manufacture and distribution of alcoholic beverages in prohibited package sizes.

NAFDAC said all recalled products would be subjected to inventory verification and destruction under its supervision, with manufacturers required to bear the full cost of the destruction exercises.

It further stated that before any sealed facility involved in the production of alcoholic beverages in sachets or PET bottles below 200ml could be reopened, NAFDAC must receive satisfactory evidence that the production lines used for the prohibited package sizes had been dismantled, permanently disabled or reconfigured to prevent further manufacture and packaging in the banned formats.

The dismantling or reconfiguration, according to the Agency, would be carried out under the direct supervision and verification of NAFDAC officers.

NAFDAC said reopening and continued operation of affected facilities would be subject to full compliance with the nationwide recall directive, payment of applicable investigative charges and regulatory fees, successful destruction of recalled products under its supervision, verification of the dismantling, reconfiguration or decommissioning of equipment used for prohibited package sizes, and satisfactory inspection and certification of the facility.

Companies that fail to comply with the terms of the undertaking, the Agency warned, risk severe regulatory sanctions, including continued closure of their facilities, placement on NAFDAC’s Regulatory Watchlist, suspension or revocation of product registrations and criminal prosecution where applicable.

NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, FAS, said the Agency remained committed to protecting public health and reducing harmful alcohol consumption, particularly among children and young persons.

She said NAFDAC would continue to engage industry stakeholders while ensuring strict compliance with regulatory directives designed to safeguard the health and wellbeing of Nigerians.

The Agency urged members of the public to report the sale, distribution or manufacture of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET bottles below 200ml through NAFDAC’s official communication channels or at the nearest NAFDAC office.