By Ogaga Ariemu
The Nigerian federal government has announced its plan to enforce the ban on alcoholic beverages produced in sachets less than 200ml starting February 1, 2024.
Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, disclosed this in a recent statement.
According to her, the deadline for manufacturers to cease production of the drinks in sachets and PET bottles, initially set for 2018, lapsed on January 31, 2024.
“This decision was based on the recommendation of a high-powered committee of the Federal Ministry of Health and NAFDAC on the one hand, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, and the Industry represented by the Association of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employers, AFBTE, Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria, DIBAN, in December 2018.
“As a commitment to the decision reached at the end of this Committee meeting, producers of alcohol in sachets and small volume agreed to reduce the production by 5 per cent with effect from January 31 2022, while ensuring the product is completely phased out in the country by January 31 2024”, she stated.
