The debate over sachet alcohol has flared up again, with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) accusing the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) of defying a directive from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and a resolution by the House of Representatives by proceeding with its ban on the production and sale of the products.
MAN stated that the SGF’s office stopped the implementation of NAFDAC’s ban on sachet alcohol through a directive issued on December 15. It also said that federal lawmakers suspended the agency’s action in March 2024.
In a statement, MAN’s Director-General, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, said that disruptions to the businesses of its Wines and Spirits sector members by NAFDAC are harmful to the companies’ profitability and will inevitably hurt the Nigerian economy.
“Specifically, we have noted that NAFDAC has, in the last two weeks, gone ahead to implement the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small PET bottles in flagrant disobedience of the directives from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on the matter, as issued on 15th December 2025.
“The recent action of NAFDAC is also in direct contradiction of the earlier resolution of the House of Representatives on the matter (vide NAS /10/HR/CT.33/77c of 14th March 2024); wherein the House of Representatives, after an all-inclusive consultation with stakeholders through a Public Hearing, restrained NAFDAC from taking the needless punitive action of banning the production of alcoholic beverages in sachets and PET bottles.
“Rather than abiding by the generally agreed resolution, NAFDAC bided its time and chose to rely on a resolution of the Senate that was devoid of the usual stakeholders’ engagement. We have since approached the Senate, and we trust that the Distinguished members will reconsider after further consultations. This is especially worrying since operators are now unsure which directive to follow when faced with multiple conflicting instructions.
The manufacturers association stated that the advent of the sale of alcohol in sachets and PET bottles was not intended to have a negative impact on Nigerians but to serve the segment of the adult population with low budgets who desire the product and should have a right of choice. The ban, he says would deny them the opportunity to exercise that right. In addition, and on the positive side, availability in small portions could also discourage abuse associated with bigger portions.
While MAN noted that alcohol served in sachets by local producers is produced under hygienic conditions and certified by regulatory agencies, which include NAFDAC, it argued that banning such products would open the floodgates of illicit and unwholesome substances that are not subject to regulation, are dangerous to health, and are beyond the control of the relevant regulatory agencies.
“We would like to further place on record that the untested assertion of abuse by minors as the basis for the ban has been controverted by credible and empirical research that was independently conducted. The industry, on its own, has even gone further, notwithstanding the report of the survey, to initiate a series of campaigns in respect of responsible alcohol consumption to discourage underage abuse. This has so far cost the operators over a billion Naira in advertisements at all levels of media outreach across the federation. This has been very impactful in discouraging abuse by underage persons and has deepened the access restriction landscape’, Ajayi-Kadir stated.
He noted that MAN has always supported measures that remove unsafe products from the market, claiming that MAN works closely with its members engaged in the production of alcoholic beverages in sachets and PET bottles, as well as NAFDAC and other agencies of Government, to adhere to all regulations and abide by all standards.
While appealing to the federal government to prevail on NAFDAC to stop the disruption of its members, MAN warned that the agency’s action is detrimental to the survival of the concerned indigenous industrial operators.
“This is worrisome as it comes at the expense of the jobs and livelihoods of workers and all those involved in the value chain. It is counterproductive as it will open up the market for illicit, sub-standard, and unregulated products’, MAN noted
