NAFDAC threatens sanctions over banned sachet, sub-200ml alcohol

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned manufacturers who continue to produce or allow alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET/plastic bottles below 200 millilitres to remain in circulation that they will face further regulatory sanctions.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, gave the warning in Lagos while providing an update on the agency’s nationwide enforcement of the ban on the prohibited alcoholic products.

Adeyeye said the enforcement exercise was already yielding results, noting that seven manufacturers had fully complied with the ban, while the three largest manufacturers, which account for about 80 per cent of the market, had complied within the last two weeks.

She explained that NAFDAC was adopting a tiered enforcement strategy, beginning with manufacturers before moving to distributors and retailers to ensure that the banned products were completely removed from circulation.

According to her, the ban, which took full effect on January 1, 2026, followed years of consultations with government, regulatory authorities and industry stakeholders.

Adeyeye said manufacturers had been given sufficient time to phase out the prohibited pack sizes, following an initial five-year moratorium agreed in 2018 and a subsequent extension that expired on December 31, 2025.

She said NAFDAC commenced enforcement at the manufacturing level in January, including the evacuation and destruction of prohibited products discovered in facilities, before expanding the exercise in July to markets, motor parks, retail outlets, bars and distribution centres.

The agency has also sealed facilities found producing the banned products, while enforcement operations have uncovered cases of manufacturers allegedly continuing production despite previous regulatory action. In July, NAFDAC reported recovering 100ml PET bottles and sachet packaging materials bearing production dates as recent as July 23, 2026.

Adeyeye warned that facilities sealed for violating the regulation would not be reopened until production lines used for the prohibited pack sizes had been dismantled, permanently disabled or reconfigured to prevent further production.

She added that defaulters could face continued closure, placement on NAFDAC’s Regulatory Watchlist, suspension or revocation of product registrations and criminal prosecution where applicable.

The NAFDAC boss said affected manufacturers were also required to recall banned products from distributors, warehouses and other points within the supply chain, with recalled products to be verified and destroyed under the agency’s supervision at the manufacturers’ expense.

She maintained that the policy was aimed at reducing underage drinking and harmful alcohol consumption, particularly among children and young people, who could easily access the products because of their small and affordable packaging.

Adeyeye urged members of the public to support the enforcement by reporting the production, distribution or sale of sachet alcoholic drinks and sub-200ml PET alcoholic beverages to NAFDAC or its nearest office.

The agency’s nationwide enforcement is expected to continue until the prohibited alcoholic products are fully removed from circulation.