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The Nigerian Senate has ordered the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other relevant regulators to fully enforce the ban on packaging high-strength alcoholic beverages in sachets from December 2025.
The lawmakers further agreed that no additional extension should be granted once the current grace period expires.
This resolution came after the Senate adopted a motion by Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong, who urged his colleagues to reject any further delay in phasing out sachet-packaged alcoholic drinks.
Presenting the motion during plenary, Senator Ekpeyong reminded the Senate that NAFDAC, after extensive consultation with stakeholders and in line with international best practices, had announced a gradual ban on the importation, production, and distribution of alcohol sold in sachet packaging.
He explained that in 2018, stakeholders—including the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), NAFDAC, and industry bodies such as the Association of Food, Beverage & Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) and the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN)—voluntarily signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The agreement committed them to phase out sachet-packaged alcoholic beverages due to growing health and social concerns about their affordability, easy accessibility, and appeal, particularly among children, teenagers, commercial drivers, and other vulnerable groups.
Ekpeyong recalled that although the initial phase-out period had ended, the Nigerian government granted manufacturers a one-year extension in 2024 to enable them to clear existing stock and adopt alternative packaging, extending the final deadline to December 2025.
He expressed worry that as the deadline nears, some producers are lobbying for another extension — a move he said undermines regulatory authority, endangers public health, and disrupts fair competition within the sector.
The senator warned that the continued sale of high-strength alcoholic drinks in sachets contributes to youth addiction, road accidents, domestic violence, school dropouts, and other social problems.
Following deliberations, the Senate also directed the Federal Ministry of Health to eliminate any obstacles preventing NAFDAC from implementing the ban effectively.
Lawmakers further urged the Ministry to expedite the release of the National Alcohol Policy, which should formally prohibit sachet packaging of high-strength alcoholic beverages and promote public awareness on the dangers associated with their consumption.
