Abuja, Nigeria — The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has dismissed as false and misleading reports alleging that the Federal Government directed it to suspend enforcement of the ban on sachet alcohol and alcoholic beverages packaged in PET bottles below 200ml.
In a press statement issued Thursday and signed by its Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, NAFDAC clarified that no such directive had been received from the Federal Government and reaffirmed that the prohibition remains fully in force.
“At no time has the Agency received any directive to suspend its regulatory or enforcement activities regarding sachet alcohol and small-volume alcoholic beverages,” the statement read.
The agency described the circulating publication as inaccurate and inconsistent with official government communication, emphasizing that it operates strictly within its statutory mandate and in line with duly communicated federal policies.
NAFDAC further disclosed that it has commenced the evacuation of violative sachet alcohol products and alcoholic drinks in PET bottles below 200ml from manufacturing companies as part of ongoing enforcement measures.
According to the agency, several manufacturers have already complied with the policy by halting production of the affected pack sizes, acknowledging that the measure is intended to curb minors’ easy access to alcohol.
The regulatory body previously revealed that about 50 percent of minors and underage individuals patronize outlets selling alcohol in sachets and small PET bottles — a statistic it cited as a key justification for the ban.
Reaffirming its commitment to public health and regulatory standards, NAFDAC urged the public, industry stakeholders, and the media to rely solely on official communication channels and avoid spreading unverified information capable of fueling misinformation and misinterpretation of government policy.
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