The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has declared the December 2025 date banning the production and sale of alcoholic drinks in sachets and small bottles remains sacrosanct.
Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, made this known while speaking on Tuesday, during a press conference and the launch of NAFDAC health and regulatory initiatives, where she declared a final deadline, warning manufacturers and sellers that the ban is set in stone.
“This ban is not punitive; it is protective,” Prof. Adeyeye stated bluntly. “We cannot continue to sacrifice the well-being of Nigerians for short-term economic gain.”
The directive, backed by the Senate and the Federal Ministry of Health, targets spirit drinks in sachets and PET/glass bottles smaller than 200ml.
NAFDAC labels these pocket-sized, high-alcohol products a “public health menace,” blaming them for fueling a crisis of addiction among minors and young adults.
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The agency points to a direct link between the cheap, concealable drinks and a surge in domestic violence, road accidents caused by commercial drivers, and school dropouts.
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This final crackdown follows a five-year grace period given to the industry in 2018 to phase out the controversial packaging.
That deadline was initially set for January 2024 but was pushed back to the end of 2025 to allow companies to sell off old stock and retool their factories.
Now, NAFDAC is drawing a line in the sand. “The health of a nation is its true wealth,” Prof. Adeyeye asserted, signaling that the agency’s mind is made up.
With the Senate’s weight behind it, NAFDAC is preparing for a full-scale enforcement push, promising nationwide campaigns to alert Nigerians to the dangers of alcohol abuse.
