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The Senate has directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other regulatory agencies to strictly implement the ban on the production, importation, and sale of high-strength alcoholic drinks packaged in sachets starting from December 2025.
Lawmakers further resolved that no additional extension should be granted beyond the current grace period.
The decision followed a motion sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong, who urged the red chamber to stop any further extension of the phase-out of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachet formats.
During plenary, Ekpeyong reminded the Senate that NAFDAC, after wide consultations with relevant stakeholders and in line with international standards, had earlier introduced a phased ban on alcohol packaged in sachets to protect public health.
He explained that in 2018, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was voluntarily signed by the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), NAFDAC, 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 was aimed at gradually eliminating sachet-packaged alcohol due to growing concerns about its affordability and accessibility, especially among minors, commercial drivers, and other vulnerable groups.
Lawmakers recalled that despite the initial deadline, the Federal Government granted an additional one-year extension in 2024 to allow manufacturers to clear existing stock and switch to approved packaging alternatives, with the final ban now set to take effect in December 2025.
However, Ekpeyong expressed concern that as the deadline nears, some manufacturers are lobbying for another extension — a move he said threatens public health, weakens regulatory authority, and disrupts fair competition in the industry.
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