The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has ordered manufacturers of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and plastic bottles below 200ml to commence a nationwide recall and stop further production of the banned products.
NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, gave the directive at a media briefing in Lagos, saying the agency had intensified enforcement against the production and sale of the prohibited alcohol pack sizes.
She said affected manufacturers must recall the products, while all recovered beverages would undergo inventory verification and be destroyed under NAFDAC supervision. Facilities involved in producing the banned products must also permanently disable or reconfigure their production lines before they can be reopened.
Adeyeye warned that companies that fail to comply could face continued closure, regulatory watchlisting, suspension or revocation of product registrations, prosecution and other sanctions. She said NAFDAC had also imposed investigative charges on companies found violating its directives.
The agency explained that the ban followed years of consultations with manufacturers and government stakeholders, beginning with concerns raised in 2018 over the widespread availability of high-alcohol-content drinks in small packages that were cheap, easily concealed and accessible to minors.
According to NAFDAC, the policy is aimed at reducing underage drinking, alcohol abuse and access to highly concentrated alcoholic beverages, particularly among children and young people. The agency said enforcement would continue nationwide to protect public health.
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