The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has reiterated its firm commitment to enforcing the prohibition of small-volume alcoholic beverages across the country, dismissing calls to relax or reverse the regulatory policy.
NAFDAC South-East Zonal Director, Dr. Festus Ukadike, confirmed during an interview in Enugu that enforcement operations targeting manufacturers and wholesale distributors of sachet alcohol and small-volume packaging have already commenced throughout the region. Officials have executed multiple seizures and arrests across Enugu, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, and Anambra states as part of the initial phase of the operation. Ukadike noted that regulatory teams will soon transition to the next phase of enforcement, which involves systematically sweeping markets and retail Outlets to mop up remaining non-compliant products.
The regulatory mandate restricts the manufacture, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets, small plastic containers, or glass bottles with volumes under 200 milliliters. Address Concerns that the policy could damage the domestic economy, Ukadike clarified that legitimate distillers and beverage companies may continue operational activities as long as products are packaged in containers measuring 200 milliliters or larger. He projected that within twelve months, Nigeria will operate under a fully standardized regulatory landscape where no alcoholic beverage under the 200ml threshold exists in public markets.
Safeguarding public health and shielding vulnerable demographics—particularly minors and school-aged children—from early exposure to high-proof alcohol served as the primary rationale for the restriction. Agency representatives pointed out that low-cost, easily concealable sachet packaging encourages underage drinking, contributes to antisocial behavior, and increases long-term risks associated with severe health conditions, including cancer and organ damage. Responding to public debate over consumer affordability, NAFDAC emphasized that safeguarding national public health takes precedence over commercial interests.
The enforcement push has generated mixed reactions among consumers and local stakeholders. While some citizens called for targeted restrictions limited strictly to commercial transit hubs and motor parks to combat drunk driving among drivers, others voiced support for a total ban, citing instances of students secretly transporting sachet alcohol into school premises in their bags and advocating for sales to be restricted exclusively to licensed liquor stores.
