Senate Gives December Deadline for Phase-Out of Sachet Alcohol

The Senate, on Thursday, directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) not to extend the December 31, 2025 deadline for banning the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small PET bottles.

The resolution followed a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South) during Tuesday’s plenary session.

While presenting the motion, Ekpenyong said the enforcement timeline aligns with global regulatory standards designed to reduce alcohol-related harm among Nigerians.

He noted that in 2018, the Federal Ministry of Health, NAFDAC, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, and industry stakeholders — including the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers — signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding to phase out sachet and mini-bottle alcoholic drinks. The goal, he explained, was to curb the increasing misuse of cheap, high-strength alcohol among young people.

Ekpenyong added that the Federal Government had already provided a one-year grace period in 2024 to allow manufacturers to deplete existing stock and transition to compliant packaging. However, some producers, he warned, are now lobbying for another extension.

“As the December 2025 deadline approaches, certain manufacturers are pushing for more time, undermining regulation and threatening public health,” he said.

He emphasized that the continuous sale of high-content alcoholic drinks in sachets contributes to addiction, impaired cognitive growth, school dropouts, domestic violence, and rising road accidents — particularly among commercial drivers and teenagers.

Ekpenyong further cautioned that companies that have complied are being unfairly disadvantaged compared to those still flouting the directive.

Other senators supported the motion, calling for strict enforcement and sustained awareness campaigns. Senator Anthony Ani (Ebonyi South) described the situation as a growing public health crisis, urging prompt action to safeguard the younger generation.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio endorsed the resolution, calling it a vital step to protect public safety and youth welfare. He stressed that NAFDAC must enforce the policy without compromise.

“This is a matter of urgency,” Akpabio stated. “The agency must act decisively to shield Nigerians, especially the youth, from the dangers of unregulated alcohol consumption.”

NAFDAC began implementing the phase-out policy in January 2024, sealing noncompliant factories and seizing illegal products. The agency, led by Director-General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has maintained that sachet alcoholic drinks are deliberately marketed to young consumers due to their affordability and ease of concealment.

Despite opposition from parts of the manufacturing sector, NAFDAC has remained firm on the ban, linking it to efforts aimed at curbing substance abuse, underage drinking, and addiction nationwide.