NAFDAC Orders Recall, Destruction of Sachet Alcohol Below 200ml

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has ordered manufacturers to recall alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and containers below 200 millilitres as the Federal Government intensifies enforcement of regulations aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm.

 

The agency directed manufacturers to properly inventory the affected products and destroy them under NAFDAC’s supervision, with the companies required to bear the cost of the exercise.

 

NAFDAC said the recall was part of efforts to remove prohibited small-volume alcoholic drinks from the market and limit their accessibility, particularly among young people.

 

The ban on the production, importation, distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and containers below 200ml took full effect on January 1, 2026, following the expiration of the transition period granted to manufacturers.

 

The agency warned manufacturers, distributors and other businesses that violate the directive that they could face regulatory sanctions.

 

The latest enforcement comes as the Federal Government launches the Nigeria Alcohol Policy and its Multisectoral Implementation Plan 2026–2030 in Abuja.

 

The policy, launched by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, provides a national framework for addressing harmful alcohol use and regulating the production, distribution, marketing and consumption of alcoholic beverages.

 

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, said harmful alcohol use and the circulation of illicit and unregulated alcohol products remained major public health concerns.

 

Pate stressed the need for collaboration among government agencies, the alcohol industry, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of the policy.

 

He said reducing alcohol-related harm required coordinated action beyond the health sector, given its links to various health and social problems.

 

The Federal Government said the implementation of the new policy, alongside stronger enforcement of existing regulations, would help promote responsible alcohol consumption, reduce alcohol-related harm and protect the health and wellbeing of Nigerians.