The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) have formally flagged off a nationwide enforcement framework to ensure strict compliance with the Federal Government’s ban on sachet alcohol and alcoholic beverages packaged in bottles below 200 millilitres.
The enforcement campaign, launched at a joint press conference in Abuja, marks the beginning of coordinated regulatory and behavioural change measures across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Director-General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, described the initiative as a strategic public health intervention aimed at curbing underage access to cheap, high-concentration alcohol.
“This campaign is not about restriction for its own sake. It is about safeguarding the future of young Nigerians,” Issa-Onilu said, noting that sachet alcohol has remained inexpensive, portable and easy to conceal, making it dangerously accessible to minors.
Under the enforcement framework, NOA will deploy its network of 818 offices across all 774 Local Government Areas to drive grassroots sensitisation and compliance monitoring. Activities will include town hall meetings, market outreaches, school engagements, motor park campaigns and collaborations with faith-based institutions. Messaging will be delivered in local languages to deepen community penetration.
The agency will also leverage television, radio, digital platforms and its CLHEEAN App to encourage citizens to report violations, while urging parents, retailers, distributors and community leaders to support enforcement efforts.
On her part, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the enforcement follows resolutions of the Senate urging the agency to ensure strict implementation of the ban and to halt further extensions of the moratorium on sachet alcohol.
Effective January 1, 2026, the Federal Government banned the production and sale of alcohol in sachets and in PET or glass bottles smaller than 200ml.
Adeyeye said the enforcement framework is backed by data from a 2021 nationwide survey conducted in collaboration with the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria, which revealed high levels of underage access to alcohol. According to the findings, over half of minors surveyed purchased alcohol themselves, with a significant percentage obtaining sachet packs and small PET bottles directly from retailers.
She warned that early exposure to alcohol increases risks of addiction, poor academic performance, road crashes, risky sexual behaviour and long-term mental health challenges. Citing global medical evidence, she added that alcohol consumption damages the developing brain, particularly areas responsible for memory and impulse control.
The NAFDAC boss stressed that enforcement would not only focus on production and distribution channels but also on retail outlets found violating the ban.
The framework is expected to strengthen regulatory surveillance, enhance public awareness and promote community participation in reducing underage alcohol consumption nationwide.
Officials described the flag-off as a decisive step toward protecting vulnerable populations and reinforcing compliance with Nigeria’s public health regulations.