The Senate has ordered the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to fully enforce the ban on the production and sale of sachet and small bottled alcoholic beverages by December 31, 2025.
Lawmakers said the proliferation of the cheap drinks has become a serious public health concern, fuelling addiction, violence, and road accidents, particularly among young Nigerians.
The directive followed a motion sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South), who decried what he called the “repeated delays” by NAFDAC in implementing the phase-out agreement.
He stressed that any further extension would “betray public trust and undermine Nigeria’s commitment to protecting its citizens.”
“Packaging alcohol in sachets makes it as easy to consume as sweets, even for children,” Ekpenyong warned.
“It destroys futures, fuels domestic violence, and endangers lives daily on our roads.”
The motion received overwhelming bipartisan support, with senators describing sachet alcohol as a “silent epidemic” spreading across schools, markets, and motor parks.
Senator Anthony Ani (Ebonyi South) likened the products to “a slow poison destroying the youth,” while others criticized manufacturers for lobbying against regulatory deadlines.
Nigeria had, in 2018, signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) involving NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health, and industry associations to phase out sachet alcohol by 2023.
The deadline was later extended to 2025 to give producers time to modify their production lines.
However, senators expressed disappointment that some companies continue to resist compliance, describing such actions as a challenge to national authority and a threat to the nation’s social stability.
In his closing remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the unanimous decision, calling it “a moral and patriotic stand to safeguard Nigeria’s future.”
“This is about protecting our children and restoring sanity to our streets,” Akpabio said.
