February 5, 2024 NewsOrient
News, Business & Economy, Law & Society

The Federal Government of Nigeria says it has begun enforcing the ban on the importation, manufacture, distribution, sale, and use of alcoholic beverages in sachets, PET, and glass bottles of 200 ml and below.

The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this on Monday at a press conference in Abuja.

According to him, the deadline the agency gives manufacturers of the mentioned products to cease production in sachets and PET bottles, elapsed on January 31, 2024.

As he puts it: “As of January 31, 2024, there is no alcoholic beverage in these categories that are registered by NAFDAC. I also want to inform you that the agency has started enforcement actions to enforce the implementation of this policy.

The window period given to manufacturers by NAFDAC to sell off all alcoholic drinks in this category elapsed on January 31, 2024.

“To this end, on the first day, after the elapse of the window period, the agency commenced nationwide enforcement actions on February 1, 2024 to enforce the implementation of the new policy.

“This situation is of course not acceptable, and the agency views this as flagrant disobedience to the laws of Nigeria.

“NAFDAC views this matter seriously and will engage all statutory means, which may include prosecution, to deal with the matter.

“I want to use this medium to ask all holders of alcohol in sachets, PET and glass bottles, empty sachets, PET bottles, empty glass bottles, and other packaging materials of these banned products to immediately report to the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC for hand-over of same to NAFDAC for destruction, to prevent sterner measures including prosecution.”

Adeyeye said further that the decision was based on a high-powered delegation that consisted of the Federal Ministry of Health, NAFDAC, and other relevant agencies.

“This decision was based on the recommendation of a high-powered committee of the Federal Ministry of Health and NAFDAC on 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 percent with effect from 31st January 2022 while ensuring the product is completely phased out in the country by 31st January 2024”.

The decision was taken in the best interest of the country to protect under-aged and Nigerians in general, she explained.

Photo, Credit: News Digest Nigeria

~ NewsOrient