NHED, CAPPA Back NAFDAC’s Sachet Alcohol Ban, Reject Manufacturers’ Objections

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NAFDAC's Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye


The Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED) and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) have declared support for the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) as it prepares to enforce a nationwide ban on the production and sale of alcoholic drinks in sachets, PET bottles and glass bottles of 200ml and below, effective December 2025.


In a joint statement on Sunday, the organisations described the ban as a long-overdue intervention aimed at protecting children, youths and vulnerable populations from harmful alcohol consumption. 


They said the low-cost packaging and aggressive marketing of the products had made high-concentration alcohol easily accessible to minors, contributing to addiction, social disorder, road accidents and rising non-communicable diseases.


The groups noted that despite NAFDAC’s phase-out period, announced in 2024 to allow manufacturers exhaust existing stock, some producers continued to violate the directive.


NHED and CAPPA criticised the opposition from manufacturers, including the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), which warned that the ban could lead to huge investment losses and job cuts. 


The CSOs dismissed the claims as exaggerated and part of a long-standing pattern used by alcohol and tobacco industries to undermine regulation.


“These figures are inflated, unverifiable and represent a familiar scare tactic used globally to pressure governments into prioritising commercial interests over public health,” the organisations said.


NHED’s Technical Director, Dr. Jerome Mafeni, said the social and economic costs of alcohol-related harm far outweigh any profit manufacturers seek to protect. 


He added that the proliferation of sachet alcohol, sold for as little as ₦100, disproportionately harms young people and low-income communities.


CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said NAFDAC’s decision aligns with global best practices, adding that no responsible public health authority would permit products designed to encourage on-the-go and underage drinking.


The groups commended NAFDAC for resisting industry pressure and urged other government agencies, including the Federal Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA), to support full implementation of the ban.


They also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly to resist attempts to suspend or dilute the policy.


“The well-being of over 200 million citizens must not be sacrificed at the altar of corporate profit,” they said.


NHED and CAPPA further called for broader alcohol control measures, such as higher taxes, stricter marketing regulations, clearer product labelling and nationwide public sensitisation.


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