Ban on sachet alcoholic drinks: Why NAFDAC should engage MAN

2026-02-12 - 00:28

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has been in the eyes of the storm in recent time over the enforcement of the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic drinks packaged in sachets and small-bottles. To some Nigerians, the decision marks a bold intervention in Nigeria’s long-running battle with alcohol abuse, public health risks and regulatory laxity. To others, especially the manufacturers, distributors and low-income consumers, it is a policy that threatens livelihood and undermines Nigeria’s informal economy. At the heart of the controversy is a collision of two powerful forces: the imperative to safeguard the health of Nigeria’s future generation and vulnerable groups, and the deep economic entanglement of sachet alcohol with Nigeria’s informal economy. Health advocacy groups have rallied behind NAFDAC, as they say the ban targets accessibility. Alcohol packaged in sachets and very small bottles is cheap, portable and widely available, making it particularly attractive to under-age consumers and people battling addiction. A recent survey indicating that over half of Nigerian minors can purchase alcohol freely is a stinging indictment of our current regulatory environment. Targeting sachets, NAFDAC aims to reduce impulse consumption and curb the normalisation of alcohol use among vulnerable populations, thereby averting long-term health problems such as early-onset liver cirrhosis and addiction. However, the business community led by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria and some civil society organisations have pushed back strongly. They described the ban as “economically insensitive”, arguing that forcing the closure of sachet production lines threatens thousands of jobs, from factory workers to petty traders. They also argued that policy intent alone does not guarantee policy success, particularly in an economy already facing unemployment and hardship. Critics also contend that the issue is one of enforcement, not packaging. Nigeria’s regulatory history is littered with well-meaning rules weakened by selective enforcement. They argued further that outright banning of regulated sachets will simply create a vacuum for “ogogoro”(locally produced gin) to flourish. In such situation, both consumers and regulators would lose. There is merit in the concerns raised by the critics of the ban as alcohol abuse can’t be solved by prohibition alone. Stricter age-verification laws, advertising controls and higher taxation on high-concentration spirits and sustained public education, particularly in schools, motor parks and communities are important complements to any packaging ban. NAFDAC’s action sends a clear message: public health matters. Yet, for the ban to achieve its promise, it must be humane, inclusive and smartly enforced. Protecting lives should not come at the cost of ignoring livelihoods or creating new black markets. We urge NAFDAC to engage manufacturers and other stakeholders in constructive dialogue to find a balanced path forward. At the end, the real success of this policy will be measured not by how quickly sachets disappear, but by whether Nigerian communities become healthier, safer and better supported in the process.