NAFDAC Orders Recall and Destruction of Sachet Alcohol at Manufacturers Expense
According to NAFDAC Director-General Mojisola Adeyeye, the enforcement follows the expiration of an extended transition period and targets products found to be cheap, easily concealed, and readily accessible to minors.
Enforcement Undertaking and Strict Compliance Demands
Manufacturers must bear the full cost of the recall and subsequent inventory verification. According to Premium Times, the directive stems from an Irrevocable Enforcement Undertaking signed by the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE), and member companies. Under the agreement, companies must pull prohibited drinks from distributors, warehouses, and supply chain points while submitting periodic compliance reports to the agency.
Facilities sealed during recent enforcement sweeps face stringent reopening terms. Factories must also pay investigative charges and regulatory fees before obtaining recertification.
Companies failing to meet the terms face severe regulatory penalties. NAFDAC outlined that sanctions include continued facility closures, placement on the agency’s regulatory watchlist, product registration suspensions or revocations, and criminal prosecution. Adeyeye specifically noted that the agency intends to invoke the Proceeds of Crime Law against persistent violators.
The Regulatory Timeline and Public Health Rationale
Regulatory friction over small-volume alcohol dates back to 2018, when NAFDAC first raised alarms over high-alcohol-content drinks sold in inexpensive packaging. A five-year moratorium agreed in December 2018 initially set a compliance deadline of January 31, 2024. Regulators subsequently extended that grace period to December 31, 2025, allowing manufacturers time to pivot toward larger packaging formats.
The absolute ban took effect on January 1, 2026. Phased enforcement began with factory audits in January, followed by nationwide mop-up operations in July across markets, motor parks, retail outlets, bars, and distribution centers. Discovery of banned items at distribution hubs triggered recent factory closures and staff arrests.
Public Appeal and Ongoing Monitoring
Regulators continue to urge the public to report unauthorized production or distribution networks. Citizens can submit tips regarding alcoholic beverages in sachets and PET bottles below 200ml through official agency communication channels or by visiting the nearest NAFDAC office.
Industry stakeholders maintain that cooperation remains the primary path forward, though agency officials emphasize that unauthorized production lines will face permanent decommissioning.