Employees of distilling companies have vowed to besiege the Lagos office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control today (Wednesday) in protest as the Federal Government announced the nationwide crackdown on sachet alcohol beverages and PET bottles below 200ml.
The planned protest was outlined in a notice obtained by our correspondent on Tuesday. The protesters said they would gather by 8:30 am to express their grievances against the ban.
The notice read, “You are invited to cover the protest of the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria against the ban on alcoholic sachets, tomorrow (Wednesday, March 4, 2026) at the NAFDAC office, Oshodi. Time is 8:30 a.m.”
The joint press conference, held in Abuja, was organised by the National Orientation Agency, in collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.
The ban, which took effect from January 1, 2026, targets the production, distribution, and sale of alcohol in sachets and in bottles smaller than 200ml, as part of efforts to curb underage drinking and harmful consumption patterns.
Speaking at the briefing, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, said the enforcement followed years of consultations, extensions, and alarming survey findings on alcohol consumption among minors.
“We are here to ensure that the ban on sachet alcohol and alcohol in small bottles less than 200ml remains banned.
“The availability and easy access to alcohol have been identified as a contributory factor to the increasing alcohol consumption among minors,” she said.
Adeyeye explained that discussions around regulating high-concentration alcohol in sachets dated back to 2018 when industry groups raised concerns about the impact on their businesses.
“In 2018, the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees and the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria took NAFDAC to the Ministry of Health that we are trying to reduce the concentration of alcohol in sachets.
