- the ban aligns with international best practices
- Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the initiative
- NAFDAC to intensify enforcement and public sensitisation
The Nigerian Senate has directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to fully enforce the ban on the production of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small bottles by December 31, 2025.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the resolution followed a motion of urgent national importance moved by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South) during Tuesday’s plenary session.
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Presenting the motion, Ekpenyong explained that the ban aligns with international best practices and global health standards aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm, particularly among young people.
He recalled that in 2018, the Federal Ministry of Health, NAFDAC, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) had signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to gradually phase out the production of sachet and small-sized alcoholic drinks.
According to the lawmaker, the Federal Government already granted manufacturers a one-year grace period in 2024 to clear existing stocks and switch to safer packaging options.
However, he warned that some producers were lobbying for another extension, a move he described as dangerous to public health and counterproductive to regulation.
“We cannot continue to expose our youths to cheap and easily accessible alcohol that destroys lives and endangers public safety,” Ekpenyong stated.
He further linked the availability of high-strength sachet alcohol to youth addiction, road accidents, school dropouts, and domestic violence.
Lawmakers including Senator Anthony Ani (Ebonyi South) supported the motion, urging NAFDAC to intensify enforcement and public sensitisation.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the initiative, describing it as vital to protecting youth and public health. He directed NAFDAC to ensure strict compliance with the deadline, warning that further extensions would undermine Nigeria’s fight against substance abuse.
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