The Senate has ordered the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to enforce the December 31, 2025 deadline for the prohibition of alcohol in sachets.
The resolution was sequel to a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South) during Thursday`s plenary.
Ekpenyong, who presented the motion, explained that the directive was in line with global regulatory standards and international best practices aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm among Nigerians.
The Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), NAFDAC, and industry bodies including the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) , he recalled, had seven years ago, voluntarily signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to gradually phase out sachet and small-bottle alcoholic drinks.
He explained that the Federal Government, upon appeals from manufacturers, had already granted a one-year moratorium in 2024 to enable producers to exhaust existing stock and transition to compliant packaging alternatives.
He expressed concern that some manufacturers were lobbying for another extension, which he said would undermine regulatory authority, endanger public health, and perpetuate the circulation of harmful alcoholic products in the market.
He added:“As the December 2025 deadline approaches, certain manufacturers are lobbying for another extension, thereby undermining the regulatory process and jeopardizing public health.
“We cannot continue to expose our youths to cheap, easily accessible alcohol that destroys lives and endangers public safety.”
He warned that the continued availability of high-strength alcoholic beverages in sachet form has contributed to addiction, impaired cognitive development, school dropouts, domestic violence, and increased road accidents, particularly among commercial drivers and young people.
Ekpenyong further noted that manufacturers who had complied in good faith were now at a disadvantage against those who continued to produce non-compliant products, creating an uneven market.
Senator Anthony Ani (Ebonyi South) supported the call, describing the easy availability of cheap alcohol as a growing social menace.
“The easy availability of cheap alcohol is fueling social vices. We must act now to save our young generation from self-destruction,” he said.
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio described the resolution as a timely step toward safeguarding public health and youth welfare.
He urged NAFDAC to ensure full enforcement of the ban by December 2025, warning that any further extension would undermine Nigeria’s anti-substance abuse efforts.
