Distillers Plan Protest as FG Begins Crackdown on Sachet Alcohol

Employees of distilling companies have vowed to stage a protest at the Lagos office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) today (Wednesday), following the Federal Government’s renewed enforcement of the ban on sachet alcohol and PET bottles below 200ml.

 

A notice obtained on Tuesday indicated that members of the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria would gather at the NAFDAC office in Oshodi by 8:30 a.m. to express their grievances.

 

“The protest of the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria against the ban on alcoholic sachets will hold tomorrow (Wednesday, March 4, 2026) at the NAFDAC office, Oshodi. Time is 8:30 a.m.,” the notice read.

 

The demonstration will mark the eighth protest by distillers in 2026, as industry players continue to oppose the policy, warning that the ban could put no fewer than five million Nigerians out of work.

 

On Tuesday, the Federal Government formally launched a nationwide enforcement and public enlightenment campaign on the ban, which took effect on January 1, 2026. The ban prohibits the production, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and bottles smaller than 200 millilitres.

 

The joint briefing in Abuja was organised by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collaboration with NAFDAC and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

 

NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the enforcement followed years of consultations and 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 remains enforced. The availability and easy access to alcohol have been identified as contributory factors to increasing consumption among minors,” she said.

 

Adeyeye noted that discussions on regulating high-concentration alcohol in sachets began as far back as 2018, including engagements with industry stakeholders.

 

While the government insists the measure is aimed at curbing underage drinking and harmful consumption patterns, distillers maintain that the policy poses significant economic and employment risks, setting the stage for another showdown between regulators and industry players.