The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has commenced renewed enforcement of the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small PET or glass bottles below 200 millilitres, following a resolution of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The development was disclosed in a press statement issued by NAFDAC on Thursday, January 29, 2026, as part of measures tied to its public health responsibilities.
NAFDAC said the action, carried out with the backing of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, targets the growing public health concerns linked to alcohol consumption, especially among children, adolescents and young adults.
The agency noted that the cheap cost, wide circulation and easy concealment of sachet and small-sized alcohol products have encouraged underage access, misuse and addiction, with reported outcomes such as road crashes, school dropouts and other social problems.
The agency stressed that the enforcement does not translate to the shutdown of any alcohol manufacturing company. It explained that the restriction is limited to spirit drinks packaged in sachets and in PET or glass bottles below 200ml, while alcoholic products in larger containers remain approved for production and sale across the country.
NAFDAC recalled that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with industry stakeholders in December 2018 to gradually eliminate sachet and small-volume alcohol packaging, with an initial deadline of January 31, 2024. The timeline was later shifted to December 2025 to enable manufacturers to exhaust existing stock and adjust production facilities. The agency said the current step reflects that agreement and Nigeria’s commitment to the World Health Assembly Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol.
“This ban is not punitive; it is protective. It is designed to safeguard children and young people from easy access to alcohol and the long-term consequences of misuse. The health of Nigerians, especially the younger population, must take priority,” the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, said.
She called on all stakeholders to comply fully with the directive, adding that no extension beyond December 2025 will be approved.
