The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has directed manufacturers of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET bottles below 200ml to immediately recall the products nationwide and stop further production.
The agency’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this on Monday in Lagos while briefing journalists on the latest phase of enforcement of the government’s ban on alcoholic beverages sold in prohibited pack sizes.
Adeyeye said NAFDAC’s second phase of nationwide pop-up operations had uncovered banned alcoholic products at distribution centres, resulting in the closure of some facilities found to have breached the directive.
She said the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria and the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers had also signed irrevocable undertakings on behalf of their members.
According to her, the associations agreed to notify their members to discontinue the production of the prohibited alcoholic beverages before their factories could be reopened.
The NAFDAC DG said companies found violating the regulatory directives would also face investigative charges, which must be paid within the stipulated period alongside full compliance with the agency’s requirements.
She explained that recalled products would be subjected to inventory verification and subsequently destroyed under NAFDAC’s supervision.
Adeyeye added that factories shut for producing the banned products would only be allowed to resume operations after providing evidence that the relevant production lines had been permanently disabled or reconfigured.
“The dismantling or reconfiguration of the production lines shall be carried out under the direct supervision and verification of NAFDAC officers,” she said.
She warned that companies that failed to comply could face continued closure, placement on NAFDAC’s regulatory watchlist, suspension or revocation of registrations, prosecution and other sanctions provided by law.
Adeyeye said the enforcement of the ban was the culmination of a process that began several years ago, rather than a sudden government decision.
She recalled that NAFDAC raised concerns in 2018 over the widespread availability of high-alcohol-content drinks in sachets and small bottles.
The agency, she said, was particularly concerned about the affordability and concealability of such products and their accessibility to minors.
The concerns prompted consultations involving NAFDAC, the Ministry of Health, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, DIBAN and AFBTE.
Adeyeye said manufacturers had argued that an immediate ban could result in job losses, factory closures and financial losses, leading the government to grant the industry a five-year transition period.
She said a memorandum of understanding signed in December 2018 gave manufacturers until January 31, 2024, to reconfigure their production facilities, adopt larger packaging formats and phase out sachet alcohol and small bottles.
The DG said the policy was aimed at reducing underage drinking, alcohol abuse and access to highly concentrated alcoholic beverages.
She further cited research indicating significant consumption of alcohol in prohibited pack sizes among minors and underage persons.
According to her, 47.2 per cent of minors and 48.8 per cent of underage persons surveyed procured alcoholic drinks in sachets, while 41.2 per cent of minors and 47.2 per cent of underage persons obtained such products in PET bottles.
Adeyeye reiterated NAFDAC’s commitment to protecting public health, particularly by limiting harmful alcohol consumption among children and young people.
She said the agency would continue to engage manufacturers and other stakeholders while enforcing the regulations governing the production and distribution of alcoholic beverages in Nigeria.
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