Senate Sets Date For NAFDAC Enforce Ban On Sachet Alcohol— See Date

Senate Sets Date For NAFDAC Enforce Ban On Sachet Alcohol— See Date

The Senate has directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other regulatory bodies to strictly enforce the ban on high-strength alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets, beginning December 2025.

Lawmakers also ruled out any further extension of the current moratorium, insisting that the deadline must be final.

The decision followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong, who urged the Senate to stop any plans for another extension of the phase-out.

Presenting the motion, Senator Ekpeyong reminded his colleagues that NAFDAC had announced the phased ban after wide consultations with industry stakeholders, in line with international best practices.

He recalled that in 2018, the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), NAFDAC, and industry groups such as the Association of Food, Beverage & Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) and the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The MoU outlined a gradual withdrawal of sachet-packaged alcoholic products due to health and social concerns arising from their affordability and accessibility—particularly among minors, commercial drivers, and other vulnerable groups.

Ekpeyong noted that despite the initial deadline, the Federal Government had already granted a one-year extension in 2024 to allow manufacturers exhaust existing stock and adopt compliant packaging alternatives.

However, the senator expressed worry that some producers are lobbying for another extension, warning that such moves undermine NAFDAC’s authority, threaten public health, and distort fair competition.

He also blamed the continued sale of sachet-packaged high-alcohol drinks for youth addiction, domestic violence, school dropouts, and road accidents.

After deliberations, the Senate resolved to direct the Federal Ministry of Health to remove any obstacles hindering NAFDAC’s enforcement of the ban.

Lawmakers further urged the ministry to fast-track the release of the National Alcohol Policy, which is expected to outlaw sachet packaging of high-strength alcoholic beverages and promote a coordinated nationwide sensitization campaign.