The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has commenced a nationwide street-level enforcement campaign against alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and containers below 200ml.
The agency said the intensified operation followed research showing that nearly half of minors who consume alcohol obtain it in prohibited packaging formats.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the enforcement would target markets, motor parks, retail outlets, bars and distribution centres, moving beyond manufacturers to the final points where the banned products remain accessible to children and young people.
According to Adeyeye, studies showed that 47.2 per cent of minors and 48.8 per cent of underage consumers obtained alcoholic drinks in sachets, while 41.2 per cent of minors and 47.2 per cent of underage consumers procured them in PET bottles.
She clarified that the government’s policy was not aimed at banning alcohol consumption generally but at restricting small packaging formats that make high-alcohol-content products cheap, portable and easier for minors to access.
Adeyeye said NAFDAC had adopted a tiered enforcement strategy, beginning with manufacturers before extending operations to distributors, retailers and other points along the supply chain.
The agency began enforcement at manufacturing facilities in January 2026, while the second phase, launched in July, expanded operations to markets, motor parks, retail outlets, bars and distribution centres.
NAFDAC said manufacturers found producing the prohibited products could face heavy fines, permanent closure of facilities, regulatory sanctions and criminal prosecution where applicable.
The agency also said affected manufacturers must recall banned products from distributors, warehouses and other points in the supply chain, with the recalled products to be verified and destroyed under NAFDAC supervision.
Adeyeye warned that the enforcement would be sustained and would not be a short-term operation, urging manufacturers, distributors and retailers to comply with the ban.
She added that the three largest manufacturers, which account for about 80 per cent of the market, had complied with the directive, while seven companies had fully met the requirements.
The ban followed years of consultations between the government and industry stakeholders. After a transition period that began in 2018, the Federal Government’s full prohibition on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets, PET/plastic bottles below 200ml and glass bottles below 200ml took effect on January 1, 2026.
NAFDAC urged members of the public to report the production, distribution or sale of prohibited alcoholic beverages through its official channels or at the agency’s nearest office.
