The National Orientation Agency has launched a nationwide campaign to enforce the Federal Government’s ban on sachet alcoholic drinks and alcohol packaged in bottles below 200 millilitres, declaring that the move is aimed at curbing underage drinking and protecting public health.
Speaking at a joint press briefing with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC ) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) in Abuja, Nigeria, the Director-General of National Orientation Agency (NOA) described the initiative as a united stand to safeguard Nigerian consumers, especially children and other vulnerable groups.
“Today marks more than a press briefing. It marks the official flagging-off of a Joint Nationwide Campaign on the ban of sachet alcoholic drinks in Nigeria. Taking a united stand for the health, safety and protection of Nigerian consumers.
“This decision is a deliberate public health intervention aimed at reducing underage access to cheap, high-concentration alcohol and curbing the alarming pattern of harmful consumption across our communities,” he said.
He recalled that the Federal Government, through NAFDAC, banned the production and sale of alcohol in sachets and in PET or glass bottles below 200 millilitres with effect from January 1, 2026. According to him, the decision is a deliberate public health intervention designed to reduce underage access to cheap, high-concentration alcohol and curb harmful consumption patterns across communities.
Inter-agency collaboration
Explaining why the inter-agency collaboration, the NOA Boss noted that NAFDAC safeguards public health through regulation, while FCCPC protects consumer rights and ensures responsible market practices.
“This is why this collaboration is important. NAFDAC safeguards public health through regulation. FCCPC protects consumer rights and ensures responsible market practices. The National Orientation Agency mobilises citizens for behavioural change and national consciousness. Together, we are aligning regulation, consumer protection and public enlightenment to ensure that this policy achieves its intended impact,” he noted.
According to him, sachet alcohol had become dangerously accessible because it is inexpensive, portable and easy to conceal, particularly in rural and semi-urban communities. stressing that the campaign was about protection, not mere restriction.
“When affordability meets vulnerability, the consequences are profound – linking early exposure to alcohol with addiction, poor educational outcomes, domestic instability, road traffic incidents and declining productivity. It is about safeguarding children and vulnerable populations. It is about reinforcing responsible consumption standards. It is about strengthening the fabric of our society,” he stressed
He announced that the agency would deploy its 818 offices nationwide and operational structures across all 774 local government areas to drive behavioural change.
Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers, he said, would take sensitisation campaigns to town halls, markets, motor parks, schools, youth groups and faith-based institutions in local languages.
“The National Orientation Agency will lead the behavioural change component of this campaign with full national deployment. With 818 offices nationwide and operational structures across all 774 Local Government Areas, we will ensure that this message reaches every community.
“Our State Directorates, Zonal and Local Government Offices, and our Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers will take this campaign directly to rural communities, youth groups, transport unions, market associations, artisans, schools and faith-based institutions. The agency will also intensify radio and television engagement, utilise digital platforms and influencers, and deploy the NOA CLHEEAN App to enable citizens report violations. Consumer protection is public protection. Market responsibility is national responsibility,” he said
He further urged parents, guardians, community leaders and retailers to ensure compliance.
“We call on parents and guardians to remain vigilant. We urge community leaders to champion awareness. We expect full compliance from retailers and distributors. We encourage citizens to refuse patronage of banned products and to support lawful enforcement efforts.
“This joint campaign represents unity of purpose. It demonstrates that public health regulation, consumer protection and national orientation are not isolated functions, but interconnected pillars of responsible governance”, he added
Unhealthy Trend
On her part, the Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor. Mojisola Adeyeye presented findings from a 2021 national survey on underage drinking conducted in collaboration with the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria.
According to her, “1,788 respondents across six states were surveyed between June and August 2021 to determine the extent of alcohol abuse among underage persons. The findings suggest that 54.3 per cent of minors and underaged obtain alcohol by themselves, 49.9 per cent patronised retailers selling drinks in sachets and PET bottles,” she said.
She noted that minors and underaged persons also accessed alcohol from friends and relatives (49.9 per cent), social gatherings (45.9 per cent) and even parents’ homes (21.7 per cent).
“Of those who procure drinks for themselves, 47.2 per cent of minors and 48.8 per cent of underaged procure drinks in sachets, while 41.2 per cent of minors and 47.2 per cent of underaged procure drinks in PET bottles, with higher prevalence reported in Rivers, Lagos and Kaduna states,” Adeyeye disclosed.
On consumption frequency, Professor Adeyeye said, 54 per cent of respondents were occasional drinkers, 24 per cent drank daily, and 11 per cent consumed alcohol at least once a week.
“The survey also found that 2.5 per cent of minors and 11.7 per cent of underaged children had engaged in binge drinking, with the highest rates in Gombe, the Federal Capital Territory and Anambra,” she said.
Peer pressure, she said, accounted for 50.5 per cent of underage drinking, followed by parental influence (34.8 per cent), personal choice (34.2 per cent) and depression (34 per cent), while social media and easy access to liquor outlets also played significant roles.
Citing medical evidence, Adeyeye warned that early alcohol consumption can damage brain development, increase addiction risk and contribute to liver and kidney disease, mental health disorders and heightened cancer risk later in life.
She added that youth who begin drinking before age 15 are 41 per cent are more likely to become dependent on alcohol, describing the ban as a critical step in reversing a growing public health threat.
“Access to alcohol by children can be limited if pack sizes (sachets and small volume bottles) that can be easily concealed are not available. A ban on small pack sizes (sachets and bottle less than 200 ml) can reduce the menace of underage drinking. Consumption of alcohol should raise an alarm for parents, teachers, religious leaders and the community at large. NAFDAC and NOA are collaborating to significantly increase the awareness and sensitization,” she added.
Both agencies pledged sustained enforcement and nationwide sensitisation, insisting that protecting Nigeria’s youth from harmful alcohol consumption is essential to the country’s long-term stability and productivity.