The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has ordered manufacturers of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and plastic bottles below 200 millilitres to commence a nationwide recall, warning that continued violations could lead to facility closures, loss of product registrations and prosecution.
NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, announced the directive at a press briefing in Lagos on Monday as the agency intensified enforcement of the Federal Government’s ban on the production, importation, distribution and sale of alcoholic drinks in the prohibited pack sizes.
Under the directive, affected manufacturers must withdraw banned products from distributors, warehouses and other points across the supply chain. Recalled products will be inventoried and destroyed under NAFDAC’s supervision, with manufacturers required to bear the cost of the destruction.
The agency said manufacturers whose facilities were sealed for violating the ban will not be allowed to reopen until production lines used for the prohibited pack sizes have been dismantled, permanently disabled or reconfigured. The process must be carried out under NAFDAC supervision.
NAFDAC also said companies that fail to comply could face continued closure, placement on its regulatory watchlist, suspension or revocation of product registrations, prosecution and other lawful sanctions. Defaulting companies may also be required to pay applicable investigative charges and regulatory fees.
The latest enforcement follows NAFDAC’s nationwide mop-up operations targeting markets, motor parks, retail outlets, bars and distribution centres. The agency said its second-tier operations uncovered banned alcoholic drinks at distribution centres and resulted in the closure of factories still producing the prohibited products.
The ban covers alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET or other plastic bottles below 200ml. NAFDAC said the restriction followed concerns raised since 2018 over the accessibility of high-alcohol-content beverages in small, inexpensive and easily concealed packages.
According to Adeyeye, the industry was given several years to phase out the products and reconfigure production lines, with the final transition period expiring on December 31, 2025. Full enforcement subsequently commenced in 2026.
NAFDAC said the policy is aimed at reducing underage drinking, alcohol abuse and easy access to highly concentrated alcoholic beverages.
The intensified crackdown creates fresh compliance and financial pressure for manufacturers and distributors still holding prohibited inventory, as the regulator moves from phased enforcement to nationwide recall and destruction.
