NAFDAC issues alert on banned alcoholic energy drinks seized in Ghana

By Precious Mark

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued an urgent public alert warning importers, distributors, and consumers against the circulation of two banned alcoholic energy drinks intercepted in the West African sub-region.

The regulatory warning follows an official notification confirming that food and drug enforcement officers in neighboring Ghana have successfully intercepted and confiscated large quantities of the hazardous beverages.

“The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) received a notification that the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority confiscated approximately 140 boxes of a banned alcoholic energy drink found in circulation in the Upper East Region of Ghana,” the agency disclosed in Public Alert No.032/2026 issued on Friday.

According to NAFDAC, the products were seized during regulatory enforcement exercises because they had previously been prohibited due to severe safety violations and the inherent health risks linked to mixing central nervous system stimulants with alcohol.

The affected products are identified as Bel Ice Vodka Energy Drink, manufactured by Bel Beverages in Ghana, and Cody’s Vody Energy Mix, produced by Jens Warneke Export GmbH in Bremen, Germany, covering all production batches.

The apex regulatory body warned that consuming these beverages carries extreme health implications, particularly for younger demographics who often underestimate how much alcohol they are consuming when it is masked by caffeinated stimulants.

“Alcoholic energy drinks may pose significant health risks because the stimulant ingredients can mask the effects of alcohol intoxication, potentially leading consumers to underestimate their level of impairment,” NAFDAC cautioned.

The regulatory agency noted that vulnerable young adults and adolescents face heightened dangers including cardiovascular complications such as an increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure, severe dehydration, impaired coordination, and a significantly higher risk of alcohol-related injuries and accidents.

To prevent the dangerous products from slipping through the borders into local open markets, NAFDAC stated that its enforcement directorate has already intensified nationwide post-market surveillance.

“NAFDAC is conducting appropriate post-market surveillance and regulatory monitoring activities to prevent the circulation of unapproved or potentially unsafe products within Nigeria,” the agency added.

The management firmly warned that anyone caught attempting to bypass borders or stock the products within the country will face strict legal prosecution and severe administrative sanctions.

“The Agency will take necessary regulatory actions against any person or organization found to be importing, distributing, or selling such products,” NAFDAC stated.

The agency concluded its warning by advising all beverage importers, wholesalers, and retail merchants to strictly verify that all inventory complies fully with NAFDAC registration requirements, urging citizens to immediately report the presence of any suspected batches to the nearest zonal office.