The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has ordered manufacturers to recall alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and containers below 200ml as the Federal Government intensifies enforcement of regulations aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm.
The agency directed manufacturers to take inventory of the affected products and destroy them under NAFDAC’s supervision, with the companies bearing the cost of the exercise.
NAFDAC said the recall was aimed at removing prohibited small-volume alcoholic drinks from the market and limiting their accessibility, particularly among young people.
The ban on the production, importation, distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and containers below 200ml took effect on January 1, 2026, following the expiration of the transition period granted to manufacturers.
The agency warned manufacturers, distributors and other businesses that fail to comply with the directive that they could face regulatory sanctions.
The enforcement comes shortly after the Federal Government launched the Nigeria Alcohol Policy and its Multisectoral Implementation Plan 2026–2030 in Abuja.
The policy, unveiled by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, provides a national framework for tackling harmful alcohol use and regulating the production, distribution, marketing and consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Speaking at the launch, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, said harmful alcohol use and the circulation of illicit and unregulated alcohol products remained major public health concerns.
Pate called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, the alcohol industry, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of the policy.
He noted that reducing alcohol-related harm required coordinated action beyond the health sector because of its links to several health and social problems.
The Federal Government said the implementation of the new policy, alongside stricter enforcement of existing regulations, would promote responsible alcohol consumption, reduce alcohol-related harm and protect the health and wellbeing of Nigerians.