Jumoke Olasunkanmi
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) clarifies that it has not imposed a ban on alcohol production.
The Agency explained that restriction is limited to alcohol packaged in containers or packaging easily concealable by children, such as sachets or PET bottles less than 200ml.
It added that the alcoholic content in sachets or PET bottles less than 200ml is 30 per cent, significantly higher than the alcohol content in beer, which ranges from 4-8 per cent.
NAFDAC in a statement signed by its resident media consultant, Sayo Akintola explained that the decision to ban the production and registration of Sachet alcohol follows the meeting and agreement by stakeholders including the Association of Food, Beverage & Tobacco Employers (AFBTE), the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), the Ministry of Health (MOH), and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) in 2018.
It added that an agreement was reached to slowly phase out the production of alcohol in sachets and PET bottles less than 200ml by January 31, 2024.
The ban, NAFDAC noted will help Nigeria reduce the adverse effects of alcohol as was pledged during the 63rd World Health Assembly in 2010.
African Health Report reported that NAFDAC’s ban sparked a protest by workers of the Food Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association and the National Union of Food Beverages and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE).
