The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has reaffirmed that the NAFDAC sachet alcohol ban will remain in force, saying there is no plan to reverse the restriction on small-volume alcoholic drinks.
NAFDAC Zonal Director for the South-East, Dr Festus Ukadike, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Friday. Ukadike said enforcement had already commenced against manufacturers and distributors of sachet alcoholic drinks across the zone.
He explained that the next phase would involve removing remaining banned products from markets and other points of sale. According to him, the restriction would not stop legitimate alcohol businesses from operating, as manufacturers could continue producing alcoholic drinks packaged in containers of at least 200 millilitres.
The zonal director said enforcement operations had already resulted in arrests and seizures across the South-East. He listed Enugu, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi and Anambra among the states where the exercise had been carried out.
Ukadike said the protection of children was a major consideration behind the NAFDAC sachet alcohol ban, stressing concerns about the exposure of young Nigerians to alcohol. He said children needed to be protected from unhealthy drinking habits that could contribute to antisocial behaviour and other health problems.
“If our children are no longer exposed to sachet alcohol, they will live healthier lives, curb antisocial behaviours and promote the country’s fight against cancer and other terminal diseases,” he said.
He also advised consumers to reduce their alcohol intake, arguing that losing access to sachet alcohol should not be considered a major hardship.
Responding to concerns about the affordability of alcohol after the restriction, Ukadike said public health considerations would take precedence over commercial interests. He projected that within 12 months, Nigeria would have a more standardised regulatory environment in which alcoholic beverages packaged below 200ml would no longer be available.
“In 12 months, Nigeria should expect a standard regulatory landscape in which there would be no alcohol in any packaging less than 200ml,” he said.
Despite the government’s position, reactions among consumers have remained mixed. Some consumers welcomed the NAFDAC sachet alcohol ban, particularly because of concerns over children accessing the products.nOthers, however, argued that removing small-volume alcoholic drinks from the market could make alcohol less affordable for low-income consumers.
One consumer, Charles Otubo, suggested that the restriction should initially have focused on motor parks, where alcohol consumption could contribute to road accidents. Another consumer, identified simply as Godwin, said he had witnessed schoolchildren buying sachet alcoholic drinks, hiding them in their school bags and taking them to school.
He argued that the products should instead be restricted to designated liquor stores. NAFDAC, however, maintains that the enforcement is necessary to protect public health and reduce the availability of small-volume alcoholic drinks, particularly among young Nigerians.
