NAFDAC Intensifies Crackdown on Banned Alcohol

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has stepped up its campaign against the circulation of banned alcoholic drinks and other unsafe consumer products, destroying goods valued at more than ₦8bn across Nigeria’s North-Central region.

The destruction exercise, held in Lafia, Nasarawa State, on Thursday, October 29, 2026, involved fake, expired, adulterated, banned and unwholesome products seized from manufacturing facilities, shops, markets and motor parks across the region.

A significant proportion of the destroyed items consisted of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small containers of less than 200 millilitres, which NAFDAC says remain a concern because of their affordability and easy accessibility.

The agency’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, said the enforcement operation was part of efforts to prevent unsafe products from reaching consumers and reduce alcohol abuse, particularly among young people and schoolchildren.

Adeyeye, who was represented at the event by a Deputy Director in the agency’s North-Central zone, Joseph Edor, explained that the restriction on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and containers below 200ml was introduced because their small sizes make them easy to carry, conceal and consume.

She warned that early exposure to alcohol could affect the development of the brain and damage vital organs, including the liver and kidneys.

According to her, alcohol consumption at a young age could also contribute to poor academic performance, reduced productivity, brain damage and other health complications.

The NAFDAC chief said the agency’s enforcement activities were driven by concerns about alcohol abuse, addiction and the long-term effects of consuming highly concentrated alcoholic beverages in small packages.

She added that the operation was not limited to alcoholic drinks, as officials also recovered expired and counterfeit medicines, adulterated food products and unsafe cosmetics.

The agency said the products, valued at more than ₦8bn, were confiscated during operations targeting manufacturing outlets, distribution points, retail businesses, markets and motor parks across the North-Central region.

The development comes as NAFDAC continues efforts to enforce the nationwide prohibition of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small-volume PET and glass bottles below 200ml.

The ban followed years of discussions between regulators, government agencies and manufacturers over the availability of small-sized alcoholic drinks and concerns about their consumption by minors.

In November 2025, NAFDAC reaffirmed that full enforcement would commence from January 2026, following an earlier phase-out arrangement with manufacturers.

The agency had initially allowed producers time to adjust their operations and exhaust existing stocks, but subsequently maintained that no further extension would be granted.

In August 2026, NAFDAC also directed manufacturers to recall affected products from distributors, warehouses and other points in the supply chain and ensure their destruction under the agency’s supervision.

Manufacturers whose facilities were sealed over the production of the prohibited drinks were required to dismantle, disable or reconfigure the affected production lines before they could be considered for reopening.

The latest destruction exercise indicates that banned products were still being recovered from different points in the distribution chain despite the enforcement measures.

NAFDAC’s Nasarawa State Coordinator, Dr Gyani Stephen, said the exercise was intended to protect public health rather than punish businesses or individuals.

He warned traders and distributors involved in the sale of counterfeit, expired and banned products to stop the practice, stressing that the agency would take action against those who continued to violate regulatory requirements.

The Nasarawa State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Daniel Saidu, represented by Yakubu Awoh, also commended NAFDAC for its efforts to remove dangerous products from circulation.

He warned that allowing counterfeit medicines and other unsafe goods to remain in markets could expose millions of Nigerians to serious health risks.

The exercise highlights the challenge facing regulators in ensuring that prohibited products do not return to the market after enforcement operations.

While the destruction of the seized goods removes a substantial quantity of unsafe products from circulation, sustained inspections, monitoring of distribution networks and prosecution of offenders will remain important to preventing further violations.

NAFDAC has continued to urge manufacturers, distributors and retailers to comply with its regulations, warning that public health must take priority over commercial interests.