After conducting a public hearing on Friday, February 23, in Abuja, Rep.
Regina Akume, Chairman of the House Committee on NAFDAC, announced the directive for the suspension of the ban on the sale of spirits and alcoholic beverages in sachets and pet bottles.
Akume emphasized the necessity of taking appropriate measures before implementing the ban to deter children and youths from accessing the alcoholic contents contained in sachets and pet bottles.
NAFDAC had announced in January 2022 that it had suspended the registration of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small-volume PET and glass bottles below 200ml.
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director General of NAFDAC, explained earlier on Friday that the ban was implemented to safeguard the health and well-being of children, youths, and other vulnerable demographics.
“In December 2018, we agreed to a five-year moratorium for manufacturers to phase out alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and pet bottles in order to protect the market,” she stated.
Despite this agreement, Adeyeye noted that manufacturers continued production.
She clarified that NAFDAC’s stance wasn’t against the production of alcoholic drinks per se, but rather against packaging them in sachets and pet bottles to prevent children from accessing them unnecessarily.
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