The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has again justified its decision to ban and enforce the ban on the production and sale of sachet alcohol.
Speaking on Friday during an interview on Arise News, the NAFDAC Director General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, said the health and safety of children must be prioritized over commercial gains.
She added that the future of children must be protected by avoiding future alcohol addiction. Adeyeye stressed that the action is about protecting the health of citizens.
“So it is on their side that they are all about money, not about health. We are about health and good investments… But we cannot sacrifice our children on the altar of trade,” she said.
Adeyeye explained that alcohol falls under NAFDAC’s regulatory mandate as a food product, noting that the agency was not banning alcohol entirely.
“We are not banning alcohol. We approve alcohol in different packages. It is only in small packages that we are banning.”
No Court Order Against Ban
During the interview, the NAFDAC boss also denied claims that a court order has stopped the enforcement of the ban on sachet alcohol.
Adeyeye maintained that NAFDAC has not received any court order to that effect
“NAFDAC has not been served. If we have been served, I have not been given that,” she said.
She added that the agency resumed enforcement based on legislative backing.
“The Senate gave us the order to resume enforcement,” Adeyeye noted.
Tracing the policy to 2018, she said NAFDAC raised the alarm over sachet alcohol with concentrations of between 43 and 45 per cent.
According to her, an agreement was reached with manufacturers under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Health, giving them five years to reorganise.
“That can be easily squeezed into the pocket of a primary school, secondary school child.”
“We all signed that by, after five years, they will not sell alcohol in sachets,” she said.
According to her, when the agreed time expired, on January 31, 2024, an extension was granted following interventions by lawmakers and certain industry stakeholders.
She added that the extended moratorium expired in December 2025.
“The Minister called me and said there had been some discussion, we should give one year moratorium, an extra one year above the five years that we have given before. And that one year expired December 2025.”
Adeyeye said that despite opposition from manufacturers seeking further extensions, enforcement resumed based on the order given by the Senate.
She dismissed claims that warning labels could curb underage drinking.
She also said the policy aligns with Nigeria’s international obligations.
“Do not use under 18. Do not use in Nigeria, are we kidding ourselves? Are we really kidding ourselves? In Nigeria? Who is going to enforce?”
“In 2010, Nigeria signed an agreement, World Health Assembly, 2010, 193 countries signed it that we will not make alcohol to be easily accessible to vulnerable populations,” Adeyeye added.
On criticisms that NAFDAC continued to register sachet alcohol products during the moratorium, Adeyeye said the agency was acting based on legislative directives.
“We were honouring the moratorium, the extended moratorium that was given by registering within a period.
“I think we are learning our lessons now that we shouldn’t have even listened or register products, a product at that particular period,” the NAFDAC boss stated.
Responding to suggestions that alcohol concentration should be reduced instead of banning sachets, she said the issue was accessibility and concealment.
She disclosed that some schoolchildren are already getting addicted and there is the urgent need for intervention to correct the trend.
“Actually, it is scientifically possible. It is not just the volume. It is the pack size.
“The principal said that in his school, a student said that he cannot study for exam without a sachet alcohol.
“We are making our children addicts. Addicts.”
“Because you are frying your liver slowly with alcohol over time,” Adeyeye clarified.
She added that NAFDAC is shutting down production lines used for sachet production, and not entire companies.
According to her, manufacturers have always been carried along in the developments leading to the current enforcement.
“Lines have been shut down… We are shutting down lines.
“We were having regular meetings, quarterly meetings with MAN.”
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