Public Health Must Come First, Advocates Tell Manufacturers As NAFDAC Enforces Sachet Alcohol Ban
As Nigeria edges toward a decisive crackdown on cheap and dangerous alcohol products, public health experts are warning that the nation cannot afford to prioritise profits over lives.
With NAFDAC set to enforce its ban on sachet alcohol and drinks packaged in 200ml bottles and below from December 2025, two leading advocacy groups say the move is both timely and necessary.
In a joint statement on Sunday, the Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED) and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) threw their full support behind the ban, describing it as a long-overdue measure to protect children, young people, and vulnerable communities.
The groups noted that the affordability, portability, and aggressive promotion of sachet alcohol had fuelled addiction, underage drinking, road crashes, and rising cases of non-communicable diseases across Nigeria.
They accused some manufacturers of flouting the phase-out period set when the ban was first announced in 2024, and of continuing production in defiance of regulatory directives.
Dismissing claims by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) that the ban would trigger job loss, massive investment decline, NHED and CAPPA described the figures as exaggerated and “a familiar scare tactic” to pressure the government into shelving public health policies.
They argued that the largely mechanised production process hardly supports the industry’s claims of half a million jobs at risk.
Dr Jerome Mafeni, NHED’s Technical Director, stressed that the real cost lies in the devastating social consequences of excessive alcohol consumption. “It is unacceptable that children can purchase high-concentration alcoholic products for as little as ₦100.
The long-term burden of violence, addiction, and healthcare costs far outweighs any short-term profit,” he said.
CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, added that no responsible country permits such unregulated access to high-strength alcohol, and commended NAFDAC for resisting “corporate bullying”.
The groups urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Assembly, and relevant ministries and agencies to stand firm behind NAFDAC and resist attempts to dilute or delay the policy.
They also called for additional measures such as higher alcohol taxes, stricter advertising rules, clearer labelling, and nationwide public awareness campaigns.
“NAFDAC’s ban is the right policy at the right time,” the statement concluded. “Nigeria must not sacrifice public health at the altar of corporate profit.”
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