The National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has launched a nationwide enforcement and sensitisation campaign on the ban of sachet alcoholic drinks in the the country.
The campaign, flagged off at the headquarters of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Abuja, is being implemented in collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
At the event on Tuesday, the Director-General of NOA Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, described the initiative as a united front by the three agencies to protect young Nigerians from harmful consumption patterns and promote responsible market practices.
He recalled that the Federal Government, through NAFDAC, had banned the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets as well as in PET and glass bottles below 200 millilitres, with effect from January 1, 2026. The measure, he said, is a deliberate public health intervention aimed at reducing underage access to cheap, high-concentration alcohol.
He said sachet alcohol is inexpensive, portable and easy to conceal, factors that have made it particularly attractive and accessible to minors and other vulnerable groups.
He added:“Prevention is better than cure. It is far less costly to prevent harm than to repair damage,” he said, stressing that government has both a constitutional and moral obligation to act before the social and health consequences of alcohol abuse become entrenched.
“While NAFDAC will lead regulatory enforcement, FCCPC is expected to ensure compliance with consumer protection and fair market standards. NOA, on its part, will drive nationwide sensitisation and behavioural change campaigns to ensure grassroots awareness and compliance.
“To achieve this, the agency said it would deploy its 818 offices across the 774 local government areas of the federation. Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers will engage youth groups, transport unions, market associations, artisans, schools and faith-based organisations, particularly in rural communities.
“The campaign will also utilise television, radio, digital platforms and social media, while citizens are encouraged to report violations through the NOA CLHEEAN App.”
Speaking at a joint press briefing, Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, NAFDAC Director-General, raised fresh concerns over growing underage alcohol consumption, citing findings from a 2021 national survey conducted across six states representing the geo-political zones.
The study, sponsored by the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria and conducted by Research and Data Solutions Ltd, Abuja, surveyed 1,788 respondents between June and August 2021.
According to her, 54.3 per cent of minors and underaged respondents procure alcohol themselves, with 49.9 per cent purchasing from retailers selling sachets and small PET bottles.
The survey showed that 47.2 per cent of minors and 48.8 per cent of underaged persons who buy alcohol themselves opt for sachet packs, while 41.2 per cent of minors and 47.2 per cent of underaged respondents purchase PET bottles. About 27.6 per cent of underaged respondents buy alcohol in glass bottles.
Besides, 49.9 per cent of minors access alcohol through friends and relatives, 45.9 per cent at social gatherings, and 21.7 per cent from their parents’ homes.
On consumption patterns, 63.2 per cent of minors and 54.0 per cent of underaged persons drink occasionally.
However, 9.3 per cent of minors and 25.2 per cent of underaged respondents consume alcohol daily, while 2.5 per cent of minors and 11.7 per cent of underaged children reported binge drinking, with the highest prevalence recorded in Gombe, the Federal Capital Territory and Anambra states.
She attributed the trend to peer pressure, parental influence, emotional distress, easy access to alcohol outlets and exposure to advertisements.
She warned that underage drinking can damage brain development, increase the risk of alcohol poisoning, liver and kidney diseases, mental health disorders and long-term addiction. It is also linked to violence, risky sexual behaviour, poor academic performance and road accidents.
She referenced Senate resolutions of November 6, 2025, which urged the agency not to extend the moratorium on the ban and called for strict enforcement.
She expressed confidence that eliminating small, easily concealed pack sizes would significantly curb underage drinking.
“Access to alcohol by children can be limited if easily concealed pack sizes are not available,” she said.
