Nigeria: NAFDAC Orders Recall, Destruction of Alcohol in Sachets, Pet Bottles

What the report says

Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has ordered manufacturers to recall alcoholic beverages sold in sachets and in PET bottles below 200ml, and to have the products destroyed under the agency’s supervision. The directive, announced in Abuja in a statement by Director General Mojisola Adeyeye, applies nationwide and places the cost of the exercise on manufacturers.

According to the Premium Times report distributed by AllAfrica, the order follows an Irrevocable Enforcement Undertaking signed by the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria, the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers, and member companies. Affected producers must pull the items from distributors, warehouses and other parts of the supply chain, then submit compliance reports to NAFDAC. Facilities that had been sealed for making the prohibited drinks must also dismantle or reconfigure the relevant production lines before reopening.

The agency said reopening depends on full compliance, payment of applicable regulatory charges, successful destruction of recalled products and inspection by its officers. It warned that failure to comply could lead to continued closure, placement on a regulatory watchlist, suspension or cancellation of product registrations, and possible prosecution.

NAFDAC said the ban grew out of years of consultations and earlier concerns that small, inexpensive packs made high-alcohol products easy to conceal and accessible to minors. The report said enforcement began with manufacturers in January and later expanded to markets and other outlets. More generally, such restrictions are part of broader public health efforts to curb underage drinking and alcohol misuse.