The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has reaffirmed its commitment to fully enforce the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small bottles of less than 200ml by December 2025.
The agency made this known in a press release issued on Monday, November 11, 2025, stating that the move is aimed at protecting public health, particularly among children, adolescents, and young adults who are most vulnerable to harmful alcohol consumption.
According to NAFDAC, the decision aligns with its mandate to safeguard public health and follows the recent directive of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The agency emphasized that the widespread availability and affordability of high-alcohol-content beverages in small sachets and bottles have contributed to misuse, addiction, and social problems such as domestic violence, road accidents, and school dropouts.
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The statement recalled that in 2018, NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) and the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) to phase out these products by January 2024. The deadline was later extended to December 2025 to allow manufacturers to exhaust old stock and adjust production lines.
NAFDAC clarified that the ban is not disciplinary but protective, stressing that it is based on scientific evidence and public health considerations.
“We cannot continue to sacrifice the well-being of Nigerians for short-term economic gain. The health of a nation is its true wealth,” the agency stated.
The agency further noted that only spirit drinks packaged in sachets and small bottles of less than 200ml are affected by the regulation, urging all manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to comply fully before the deadline.
