Senate Orders Full Enforcement of Sachet Alcohol Ban by December 2025

The Senate has directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other relevant regulatory bodies to commence full enforcement of the ban on high-strength alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets starting December 2025.

Lawmakers also ruled out any further extension of the phase-out timeline, ending months of speculation about a possible grace period for manufacturers.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong on the “Need to halt further extension of the phase-out of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachet formats.”

Background

Senator Ekpeyong recalled that NAFDAC, in alignment with international best practices and after wide consultations, had initiated a gradual ban on the importation, manufacture, and distribution of alcohol sold in sachets.

In 2018, a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and industry groups such as the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) and the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN).

The agreement aimed to phase out sachet alcohol products due to growing health and social concerns linked to their affordability and accessibility—particularly among minors, commercial drivers, and other vulnerable groups.

Health and Social Concerns

Ekpeyong noted that the Federal Government granted manufacturers a one-year moratorium in 2024, allowing them to deplete existing stock and transition to compliant packaging. This extension moved the final phase-out deadline to December 2025.

However, he expressed concern that some producers have resumed lobbying for another extension—an action he described as undermining regulatory authority and endangering public health.

“The continued sale of high-strength alcoholic drinks in sachets fuels youth addiction, road accidents, domestic violence, and other social problems,” he warned.

Senate’s Directives

Following deliberations, the Senate:

• Directed the Federal Ministry of Health to eliminate all obstacles preventing NAFDAC from enforcing compliance.
• Mandated the prompt release of the National Alcohol Policy, which will explicitly outlaw sachet packaging of high-strength alcoholic beverages.
• Called for public sensitization campaigns on the dangers of irresponsible alcohol consumption.

With the Senate’s latest decision, manufacturers are required to fully comply with the sachet alcohol ban by December 2025, marking the end of years of delays and industry lobbying.