Sachet Alcohol: Csos Back NAFDAC, Dismiss 500,000 Job Loss Fear

Two civil society organisations di Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED) and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA)  don throw dia weight behind di National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control over di decision to ban production and sale of alcoholic beverages wey dey come in sachets, PET bottles and glass bottles of 200ml and below from December 2025. For joint statement on Sunday, di groups describe di ban as long-overdue public health intervention wey go protect children, youths and other vulnerable groups. According to NAFDAC, di move dey aimed at reducing di rising misuse of cheap alcoholic drinks among youths and drivers, wey dem link to domestic violence, road accidents, school dropouts and other social vices. Even though di Manufacturers Association of Nigeria warn say di ban fit lead to five million job losses and affect investment, NHED and CAPPA dismiss di claims as exaggerated, inflated and designed to put profit above public health. Dem talk say sachet alcohol production dey largely mechanised, no even require plenty human labour, and accuse industry actors of using economic misinformation to weaken evidence-based public health policy.

NHED Technical Director, Dr Jerome Mafeni, stress di urgency to protect lives over profits, talk say di long-term social and economic cost of alcohol harm  like violence, low productivity, rising healthcare bills and addiction  far outweigh any short-term gain manufacturers dey fight to keep. E condemn how children fit buy high-concentration alcoholic drinks for as low as N100. CAPPA Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, hail NAFDAC action as global best practice, talk say no responsible public health agency go allow products wey encourage unrestricted, on-the-go and underage drinking. Di groups urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, di National Assembly and other authorities make dem no bow to corporate pressure or delay di life-saving policy. Dem still call for more alcohol control measures like taxation, stricter marketing regulation, clear labelling and nationwide awareness campaigns, as dem maintain say NAFDAC ban na di right policy at di right time and dem stand solidly with all Nigerians wey want healthier and safer society.