By Chimezie Godfrey
The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) on Tuesday flagged off a Joint Nationwide Campaign on the ban of sachet alcoholic drinks, declaring that government was taking “a united stand for the health, safety and protection of Nigerian consumers.”
The campaign, launched at the NOA Headquarters in Abuja, is being executed in collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
“Today marks more than a press briefing. It marks the official flagging-off of a joint nationwide campaign. Today, we are taking a united stand for the health, safety and protection of Nigerian consumers,” the NOA DG stated.
He recalled that the Federal Government, through NAFDAC, banned the production and sale of alcohol in sachets and in PET or glass bottles below 200 millilitres effective January 1, 2026.
“This decision is a deliberate public health intervention aimed at reducing underage access to cheap, high-concentration alcohol and curbing the alarming pattern of harmful consumption across our communities,” he said.
Explaining the synergy among the agencies, he noted: “NAFDAC safeguards public health through regulation. FCCPC protects consumer rights and ensures responsible market practices. The National Orientation Agency mobilises citizens for behavioural change. Together, we are aligning regulation, consumer protection and public enlightenment.”
Citing survey findings, he disclosed that “54.3 per cent of minors and underaged obtain alcohol by themselves,” with nearly half purchasing sachet packs.
“For too long, sachet alcohol has been dangerously accessible. It is inexpensive. It is portable. It is easy to conceal. When affordability meets vulnerability, the consequences are profound,” he warned.
On sensitisation efforts, he said, “As of today, we can boast of working on a daily basis with 253 radio stations nationwide broadcasting in 72 Nigerian languages. When we want to reach the grassroots, we use these mediums.”
Speaking on enforcement, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, said the ban was necessary to protect children from early exposure.
“Access to alcohol by children can be limited if pack sizes that can be easily concealed are not available. Ban on small pack sizes can reduce the menace of underage drinking,” she said.
She cited health risks, warning that alcohol damages brain development and increases addiction risks, noting that youths who begin drinking before age 15 are “41 per cent more likely to become dependent.”
Representing FCCPC, Ondaje Ijagwu declared that enforcement would be uncompromising.
“In FCCPC, we do not reinvent the wheel. When there are extant regulations, we enforce them. Our sanctions are quite severe. By the time we begin implementation, Nigerians will know,” he said.
The agencies called on parents, retailers and community leaders to ensure compliance, insisting that “consumer protection is public protection.”
NOA, NAFDAC, FCCPC Launch Nationwide Offensive Against Sachet Alcohol
