The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control said its decision to ban sachet alcohol followed years of consultations, regulatory pushback and a failed attempt to curb abuse through reduced alcohol content rather than an outright prohibition.
NAFDAC said discussions on regulating sachet and small-volume alcohol products began in 2017 within the National Action Committee on the Elimination of Alcoholic Beverages in Sachets (NABLAC). At the time, regulators concluded that an immediate ban was not feasible and instead opted to lower alcohol concentration to reduce harm.
However, NAFDAC said producers subsequently petitioned the Federal Ministry of Health in 2018, accusing NABLAC of overreach. The complaints triggered a series of meetings involving regulators, health officials and industry stakeholders.
According to the agency, the Ministry of Health eventually granted a five-year moratorium in 2018, citing concerns that an immediate ban could lead to job losses within the alcohol manufacturing and distribution sector.
NAFDAC said the moratorium period was intended to allow manufacturers to adjust, while regulators continued to assess the public health impact of sachet alcohol consumption.
