The Network for Health Equity and Development and the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa have thrown their weight behind the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) over its decision to enforce a ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets, PET bottles, and glass bottles of 200ml and below, starting December 2025.
In a joint statement released on Sunday by CAPPA’s Media and Communication Officer, Robert Egbe, the two leading public health advocacy organisations described the ban as a long-overdue intervention crucial for safeguarding the well-being of children, youths, and other vulnerable groups.
According to NAFDAC, the ban aims to curb the growing misuse of cheap alcoholic drinks among youths and drivers, linking their consumption to domestic violence, road accidents, school dropouts, and other social vices.
Meanwhile, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) had warned that enforcing the ban could lead to losses of up to five million jobs and negatively affect investment.
NHED and CAPPA, however, supported NAFDAC, stating that the packaging, pricing, and aggressive marketing of these products make highly potent alcohol dangerously accessible, particularly to minors, and contribute to rising addiction, social disorder, road crashes, and non-communicable diseases nationwide.
They recalled that NAFDAC initially announced the ban in 2024, providing manufacturers a multi-year phase-out period to exhaust existing stock, which ends in December 2025.
Some manufacturers, however, continued production beyond the deadline.
The organisations condemned MAN’s claims that the ban could harm investment and trigger mass retrenchments, describing them as scare tactics prioritising profit over public health. They argued that the production of these beverages is largely mechanised and requires minimal human labour, making the alleged job losses exaggerated.
‘We reject in its entirety MAN’s claims that the ban will cause over N1.9 trillion in lost investment and the retrenchment of over 500,000 workers. These figures are inflated, unverifiable, and represent a familiar tactic used globally by alcohol and tobacco corporations to resist regulation’, the statement read.
NHED’s Technical Director, Dr Jerome Mafeni, emphasised the primacy of protecting lives.
‘The long-term social and economic costs of alcohol-related harm far outweigh any short-term profits. Nigeria currently bears the burden of alcohol-related violence, reduced productivity, rising healthcare costs, and a growing addiction crisis among young people. Sachet alcohol targets poor and marginalised communities, making this ban crucial’, Mafeni said.
CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, added that government regulation to protect public health is non-negotiable.
‘NAFDAC’s decision aligns with global best practices. No credible public health agency would permit the marketing of highly potent alcoholic products in packaging designed to encourage unrestricted, on-the-go, and underage consumption. We commend NAFDAC for resisting corporate bullying and standing firmly on the side of science, public health, and national interest’, he said.
The organisations urged President Bola Tinubu, the National Assembly, and relevant federal agencies to support NAFDAC and ensure seamless implementation of the ban, warning against yielding to corporate pressure.
They also called for complementary measures, including stricter marketing regulations, taxation, clear labelling, and nationwide sensitisation on alcohol-related harms, stressing that the long-term social and economic costs of alcohol misuse outweigh any economic benefits.
‘NAFDAC’s ban is the right policy at the right time. NHED and CAPPA stand resolutely with the agency and with all Nigerians committed to a healthier, safer, and more responsible society’, the statement concluded.
