FG Begins Crackdown on Sachet Alcohol, Bottles Under 200ml

The Federal Government on Tuesday launched a nationwide enforcement and public awareness campaign on the ban of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small PET and glass bottles below 200 millilitres.

 

The joint press conference, held in Abuja, was organised by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

 

The ban, which took effect on January 1, 2026, targets the production, distribution and sale of alcohol in sachets and bottles smaller than 200ml, as part of efforts to curb underage drinking and harmful consumption patterns.

 

NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the enforcement followed years of consultations and extensions granted to industry players, as well as alarming survey findings on alcohol consumption among minors.

 

“We are here to ensure that the ban on sachet alcohol and alcohol in small bottles less than 200ml is enforced across all age groups in Nigeria,” she said, noting that easy access to alcohol has contributed significantly to rising consumption among minors.

 

Adeyeye recalled that discussions on regulating high-concentration sachet alcohol began in 2018, when industry groups raised concerns about the economic impact of stricter controls. She said a five-year moratorium granted by the former Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, expired in February 2024, after which NAFDAC commenced enforcement in line with its mandate.

 

She explained that further delays followed legislative interventions and an additional one-year extension granted in December 2024 by the current Health Minister, Prof. Muhammad Pate, before the Senate directed the agency to resume strict enforcement.

 

Citing survey findings, Adeyeye described the results as “damning,” revealing that 54.3 per cent of minors obtain alcohol themselves, while nearly half patronise retailers selling sachet packs and small PET bottles due to ease of concealment. She added that children as young as nine were found to consume alcohol, with binge drinking reported in some states.

 

Highlighting health risks, she warned that underage drinking can damage the brain’s memory and impulse-control centres, increase the risk of alcohol poisoning, and raise the likelihood of addiction and progression to hard drugs.

 

“In our country, it is responsible for banditry. It is responsible for kidnapping. You cannot be in your right mind and point a gun at somebody. It starts with alcohol and then goes on to hard drugs,” she said.

 

Adeyeye stressed that limiting access through the ban on small, concealable packs would help reduce underage drinking and called on parents, teachers, and community leaders to remain vigilant.

 

Also speaking, NOA Director-General Lanre Issa-Onilu described the campaign as a unified effort to protect Nigerians, particularly vulnerable youths.

 

“For too long, sachet alcohol has been dangerously accessible. It is inexpensive, portable, and easy to conceal. When affordability meets vulnerability, the consequences are profound,” he said.

 

Issa-Onilu said the agency would leverage its 818 offices nationwide and structures across all 774 local government areas to drive awareness and ensure compliance.

 

“Consumer protection is public protection. Market responsibility is national responsibility. No nation prospers when its youth are caught in cycles of preventable addiction,” he added.

 

The government urged parents, community leaders, retailers and distributors to comply with the policy and support enforcement efforts aimed at promoting public health and safety.