Workers in Nigeria’s alcohol industry are set to protest today at the Lagos office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) over the Federal Government’s crackdown on sachet alcohol and small bottles.
The protest, scheduled for 8:30 am at the agency’s Oshodi office, is being organised by members of the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria. The notice inviting journalists to cover the protest was circulated on Tuesday.
This will be the eighth protest by distillers in 2026 alone. Industry operators say the ban on sachet alcohol and bottles below 200 millilitres could lead to massive job losses. They claim that no fewer than five million Nigerians may lose their jobs if the policy is fully enforced.
On Tuesday, the Federal Government formally launched a nationwide enforcement and public awareness campaign on the ban.
The joint press conference was organised by the National Orientation Agency (NOA), NAFDAC and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) in Abuja.
The ban, which took effect from January 1, 2026, stops the production, distribution and sale of alcoholic drinks packaged in sachets and in small PET and glass bottles under 200ml.
According to the government, the move is aimed at reducing underage drinking and harmful alcohol consumption across the country.
Speaking at the briefing, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, said the decision followed years of discussions and disturbing survey findings about alcohol use among minors.
“We are here to ensure that the ban on sachet alcohol and alcohol in small bottles less than 200ml remains banned,” she said.
She explained that alcohol in sachets is often highly concentrated. In some cases, it contains about 50 per cent alcohol, compared to beer which contains between six and eight per cent.
“You can imagine how concentrated that is. And the fact that it is easy to access and easy to conceal makes it worse,” she said.
Prof Adeyeye said discussions began as far back as 2018 when industry groups, including the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria and the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees, raised concerns about the effect of stricter regulations on their businesses.
At the time, the Ministry of Health granted a five-year moratorium to allow companies adjust their operations. That grace period ended in February 2024.
When NAFDAC moved to begin enforcement in 2024, the industry resisted and took the matter to the National Assembly. Lawmakers directed the agency to suspend enforcement temporarily.
Later in December 2024, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, approved an additional one-year extension.
With that extension expired, the government has now resumed full enforcement.
Central to the renewed action are findings from national surveys on alcohol consumption among young Nigerians.
According to NAFDAC, 54.3 per cent of minors obtain alcohol by themselves. About 49.9 per cent buy from retailers selling sachet packs and small PET bottles.
Prof Adeyeye said 50 per cent of children surveyed admitted to drinking alcohol.
Among minors who purchase alcohol themselves, nearly half prefer sachets because they are easy to hide.
She revealed that children as young as nine years old were found to consume alcohol in some parts of the country. Cases of binge drinking were also reported.
The NAFDAC boss warned that early alcohol use can damage the brain, especially the areas responsible for memory, learning and decision-making.
“Youth who begin drinking before age 15 are 41 per cent more likely to become dependent on alcohol,” she said, adding that some later move on to hard drugs.
She linked alcohol abuse to wider social problems, including crime and insecurity.
Despite the health concerns, industry operators insist the ban will have serious economic consequences.
Nigeria’s beverage sector employs millions of workers directly and indirectly, from factory staff to distributors and retailers.
The Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria has repeatedly warned that shutting down sachet production could affect small businesses across rural and urban communities.
Many low-income consumers prefer sachet products because they are cheaper and more affordable.
Industry leaders argue that instead of an outright ban, the government should focus on stricter age checks and public education.
The Director-General of NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu, described the enforcement campaign as a united effort to protect Nigerians.
“With 818 offices nationwide and structures in all 774 local government areas, we will ensure this message reaches every community,” he said.
He noted that sachet alcohol became popular because it is inexpensive, portable and easy to conceal.
“When affordability meets vulnerability, the consequences are serious,” he said.
Issa-Onilu urged parents, community leaders and retailers to support the ban and help reduce access to alcohol by minors.
The clash between regulators and distillers highlights a wider debate in Nigeria — how to balance public health with economic survival.
On one hand, the government says it must protect young people from addiction and its long-term effects. On the other hand, manufacturers warn of factory closures and rising unemployment at a time when many Nigerians are already struggling with high living costs.
As workers gather in Lagos today to protest, all eyes will be on how authorities respond.
For now, the Federal Government has made its position clear: sachet alcohol and small bottles under 200ml remain banned.
