The Nigerian Senate has directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to begin full enforcement of the sachet alcohol ban in Nigeria starting in December 2025.
Lawmakers insisted that no further extensions will be allowed beyond the one-year grace period granted in 2024.
The resolution came after Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong moved a motion urging the Senate to stop any further delay in phasing out high-strength alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets.
Ekpeyong said NAFDAC’s decision to ban sachet alcohol followed global best practices after broad consultations with the beverage industry.
He reminded the chamber that in 2018, the Federal Ministry of Health, NAFDAC, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and industry associations agreed to phase out the products over five years.
The deal, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), aimed to protect public health and curb rising social problems linked to sachet alcohol.
Lawmakers expressed concern that cheap and portable alcoholic sachets had become dangerously accessible to minors, commercial drivers, and other vulnerable groups.
Ekpeyong recalled that the initial phase-out deadline had already been extended by one year, pushing enforcement to December 2025.
But he warned that some manufacturers were lobbying for another extension, a move he said would undermine public safety and weaken NAFDAC’s authorities.
He added that continued production of high-strength alcohol in sachets fuels addiction, reckless driving, domestic violence, and school dropouts across Nigeria.
Following his submission, the Senate resolved that the Federal Ministry of Health must remove all obstacles preventing NAFDAC from enforcing the ban.
The lawmakers also called for a prompt release of the National Alcohol Policy, which should clearly prohibit sachet packaging and promote responsible consumption.
The Senate further urged the ministry to launch national awareness campaigns highlighting the dangers of sachet alcohol, especially among youths and low-income earners.
Health experts and advocacy groups have long argued that sachet alcohol poses serious social and economic risks.
The ban, they say, is crucial to curbing rising cases of alcohol abuse and related accidents.
If implemented, the policy will align Nigeria’s alcohol control standards with global health regulations and help protect millions from preventable harm.
For now, all eyes are on NAFDAC and the Health Ministry to ensure the December 2025 deadline stands without excuses or political interference.