NAFDAC and NOA begin nationwide crackdown on sachet alcohol

..Link the substance to banditry, to kidnappings

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) have launched a national behavior change campaign to enforce the sachet alcohol ban in the 36 states and the federal capital territory.

The NOA said the move was aimed at protecting children and other vulnerable groups from the harmful effects of alcohol packaged in small, easily concealed containers.

Speaking at a joint press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, NOA Director General, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the campaign was not about restrictions “for restrictions in themselves” but about safeguarding the future of young Nigerians.

“For too long, sachet alcohol has been dangerously accessible. It’s inexpensive, portable and easy to hide,” he said.

Issa-Onilu warned that in many rural and semi-urban communities, young people find it easier to obtain high-alcohol alcohol than to access adequate guidance and protection.

“When affordability meets vulnerability, the consequences are profound,” he added.

According to him, early exposure to alcohol increases the risk of dependence and long-term dependence, undermines education and contributes to domestic instability, traffic accidents and decreased productivity.

He stressed that the government has both a constitutional duty and a moral obligation to act before harm becomes entrenched.

The NOA boss revealed that the agency will deploy its 818 offices and facilities across all 774 local government areas to spearhead the campaign.

He said town hall meetings, market awareness activities, engagements in car parks, schools and religious institutions will be part of the strategy, with messages conveyed in local languages.

He added that the campaign will also leverage television, radio, digital platforms and the NOA CLHEEAN app to encourage citizens to report violations.

Issa-Onilu called on parents, community leaders, retailers and distributors to support the enforcement of the law, urging Nigerians to avoid banned products.

Furthermore, the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said that underage alcohol consumption poses serious behavioral and social risks.

DG NAFDAC said the enforcement follows Senate resolutions of 6 November 2025, which urged the agency not to grant a further extension of the moratorium on sachet alcohol and to ensure strict enforcement of the ban on alcohol in sachets and bottles smaller than 200 millilitres.

He said the easy availability of such products is fueling underage drinking, violent crimes, banditry and kidnapping across the country.

“In our country it’s responsible for banditry, it’s responsible for kidnapping. You can’t be in your right mind and point a gun at someone; you start with alcohol and then you move on to hard drugs,” he said.

He also linked excessive alcohol consumption to traffic accidents, risky sexual behavior, poor academic performance and other social challenges.

Adeyeye said recent Senate resolutions urged NAFDAC to ensure strict enforcement of the ban on alcohol in sachets and alcoholic beverages in bottles smaller than 200 millilitres.

Citing findings from a 2021 national survey conducted in collaboration with the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria, Adeyeye revealed that 54.3% of minors and minors purchase alcohol for themselves.

He said: “The study, which sampled 1,788 respondents across six states representing the six geopolitical zones, revealed that 49.9% of minors purchase alcohol directly from retailers selling sachets and small PET bottles.

“Others accessed alcohol from friends and relatives (49.9%), from social gatherings (45.9%) and even at their parents’ home (21.7%).

“Among those who purchased drinks personally, 47.2% of minors and 48.8% of minors purchased alcohol in sachets, while over 40% purchased drinks in small PET bottles. Consumption rates were particularly high in Rivers, Lagos and Kaduna states.”

He disclosed that the survey further showed that 63.2% of minors and 54% of underage children consumed alcohol occasionally, while 2.5% of minors and 11.7% of minors drank excessively, with notable prevalence in Gombe, Federal Capital Territory and Anambra.

According to the findings, peer pressure accounts for 50.5% of underage drinking, while parental influence and family relationships account for 34.8%. The influence of social media, easy accessibility of liquor outlets and alcohol advertising were also identified as major factors.

Adeyeye warned that the consequences go beyond immediate intoxication. He cited global medical evidence showing that alcohol damages the developing brain, particularly the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, increasing the risks of memory impairment, poor impulse control, depression, dependence and long-term addiction. Young people who start drinking before age 15 are 41% more likely to become dependent on alcohol, he said.