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As Pressure Mounts
As January 2026 draws near, the pressure on the federal government to reconsider its policy banning alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small bottles has become increasingly intense. For many Nigerians, factory workers, retailers, and consumers alike, the looming ban is more than a regulation: it feels like an existential threat.
The controversy surrounding sachet alcohol is not new. In December 2018, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, the Ministry of Health, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, and industry groups such as the Distillers & Blenders Association, DIBAN signed a Memorandum of Understanding to phase out spirit drinks in sachets and containers below 200ml over five years.
Originally, the cutoff was set for the end of January 2024. But that deadline was quietly extended. In May 2025, NAFDAC clarified that a previous “temporary lifting” of the ban would expire on December 31, 2025, after which full enforcement would begin.
In November 2025, NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, announced that enforcement would officially kick in by January 1, 2026, following a Senate resolution to ban all sachet alcohol and small PET/glass bottles below 200ml. According to her, the measure is not punitive but “protective,” aimed at safeguarding youth and vulnerable Nigerians from the dangers of cheap, high-alcohol-containing drinks.
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN has sounded the alarm: the ban could wipe out N1.9 trillion in investments, mostly from local companies. According to MAN’s Director-General, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, more than 500,000 direct jobs could be lost and up to 5 million indirect roles in distribution, logistics, sales, marketing, and contracted services could vanish.
The Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association, FOBTOB has also condemned the ban, warning of an “economic catastrophe.” Their president, Jimoh Oyibo, said that companies have invested heavily, nearly N2 trillion in machinery and raw materials, and that sudden implementation would devastate livelihoods. According to him, more than 500,000 workers risk retrenchment, and capacity utilization in the manufacturing sector, which was just beginning to recover, could collapse.
Stand Up Nigeria, a civil society group, has echoed these concerns, calling the ban “undemocratic” and “hasty.” The convener, Sunday Attah, accused NAFDAC and the Senate of failing to meaningfully involve key stakeholders and warned of “economic dislocation of unimaginable proportions.” These voices argue that instead of a blanket ban, the country should implement the validated National Alcohol Policy, which many stakeholders endorsed in October 2025. That policy, they insist, favors regulation rather than prohibition through measures like licensed liquor outlets, stronger enforcement, and education campaigns.
On factory floors across Nigeria, workers have begun to voice their fears. While no comprehensive survey has been released publicly, union leaders and labor activists say employees in sachet-alcohol manufacturing plants are deeply anxious, bracing for layoffs and plant closures. As FOBTOB argued, a ban would not only shutter production lines; it could force entire companies to either downsize drastically or shut down. Many of these workers are in low to middle-income jobs; for them, losing a factory position would mean not just losing a paycheck but also medical benefits and stability in an already fragile economy. Some have told union reps they are considering retraining, but with limited time and resources, the prospects are grim.
Beyond the factories, small shop owners and street hawkers who rely on sachet alcohol sales for foot traffic are also worried. For many of them, sachet drinks are a staple product alongside fast-moving goods like sachet water, snacks, and airtime. A small kiosk owner in Lagos told a reporter that if she can no longer stock sachet alcohol, her daily sales will drop drastically. “People come for that small bottle,” she said. “It’s part of their daily spend. If you remove it, a lot of customers stop coming, and I won’t be able to pay my assistants.” Informal vendors, especially young men who sell sachet drinks in parks, garages, and roadside stalls, fear they will be pushed out without any social safety net. For many, the revenue from sachet alcohol is their primary income. The potential loss, they argue, will ripple across entire communities where formal employment options are already limited.
Among consumers, reaction to the ban has been mixed but often emotional. Sachet alcohol is popular precisely because it is cheap, accessible, and affordable, especially for people on tight budgets. Some consumers are dismayed at losing a product that they say allows them to drink responsibly without overcommitting. A middle-aged man in Akwa Ibom, for instance, has reportedly said, “I prefer the small bottle so I drink less. Take it away and I will be forced to buy larger bottles or dangerous illicit drinks.” Businessday Nigeria, in an opinion piece, suggests that many low-income consumers will either be priced out of the market or forced into riskier alternatives. There is also concern that the ban could push alcohol consumption underground, fueling demand for unregulated, illicit products that are neither safe nor quality-controlled, exactly what MAN has warned about.
On the other side, public health groups remain steadfast in supporting the ban. Advocates from organizations like Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA and the Network for Health Equity and Development, NHED argue that it is a necessary intervention. According to them, sachet alcohol’s affordability, high alcohol content, and concealability make it especially dangerous for underage drinkers, commercial drivers, and marginalized communities. They believe the ban could significantly reduce misuse, addiction, alcohol-related violence, accidents, and long-term health burdens. Some health advocates also argue that maintaining the ban will save government costs in the long term. By reducing alcohol-related illness, fewer resources would be diverted to treating alcohol abuse, yet lives and communities would be protected.
Nigeria now finds itself at a pivotal moment. NAFDAC insists that the ban aligns with its mandate to protect public health, calling it a step grounded in science and precaution. Industry and labor, however, see it as a sudden regulatory hammer coming down without enough cushion for the people whose livelihoods depend on the status quo. For the government, the choices are stark. Going ahead with the ban risks mass job losses, business closures, and economic shock but potentially improves public health outcomes. Delaying or revising the ban could reassure manufacturers and workers but would likely be criticized by health advocates as a signal that economic considerations trump lives. Implementing a compromise could lean into the validated National Alcohol Policy, using licensing, stricter enforcement, public education, and age controls, a regulatory framework that many stakeholders had endorsed.
At present, pressure is building from all corners. Workers, fearful of retrenchment, are calling on the government and manufacturers to slow down and find a humane path forward. Retailers and informal vendors worry they will be cut off from a key stream of income. Consumers feel deprived of a low-cost, regulated product they use responsibly and fear being pushed toward dangerous alternatives. Health advocates stand ready to see the ban enforced, pointing to long-term gains in safety and social wellbeing.
As January 2026 looms, the government must decide whether to weather the economic storm for the sake of public health or recalibrate its approach to protect jobs, local business, and the livelihoods of millions. The next few weeks may well determine not only how Nigeria regulates alcohol but also how it balances public health with economic survival.
By Benprince Ezeh
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