NAFDAC bans distillers from producing alcohol in small sachets, pet bottles

The call is in line with the agreement reached by a tripartite committee set up in 2018.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has called for a stoppage of the production of alcohol in sachets and pet bottles of less than 200ml by distillers.

Kazeem Adeniran, Assistant Chief Regulator Officer, Investigation and Enforcement Department, NAFDAC, Lagos, made the call at a two-day enforcement exercise on Monday in Ota, Ogun.

Adeniran said that his call was in line with the agreement reached by a tripartite committee set up in 2018. He said that part of the agreement was that distillers, under the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), should stop the production of alcohol in sachets and pet bottles of less than 200ml with effect from January 31.

Adeniran said that the five-year grace was given to phase out the product. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the enforcement exercise was carried out in Ota and its environs to safeguard the lives of Nigerians.

NAN also reports that some of the companies visited for enforcement were: Nigeria Distilleries Limited, International Distillers Limited, Danzchiji Global Nigeria Enterprises, and Euro Global Foods and Distilleries Limited, among others.

Adeniran said that the federal Ministry of Health had set up the committee in 2018, of which NAFDAC and DIBAN were members, with other stakeholders to curb abuse of alcohol, especially among the youth.

Adeniran said that the alcohol above 200ml was approved by the committee for DIBAN members, expressing regret, however, that what the investigation and enforcement team saw was different from what was agreed upon. He admonished them against flouting the agreement reached by the tripartite committee in 2018.

"These companies were still producing those alcohols below 200ml at the time we carried this enforcement exercise, which is not supposed to be.

"It was clearly stated after the meeting in 2018 that they should stop the production of such alcohol in sachets and pet bottles by 2024 and embark on the production of alcohol above 200ml.

"Therefore, we are not expecting to see these alcohol sachets and pet bottles in any Nigerian market for consumption," he said.

Adeniran said that all the products placed on hold in each of the companies visited would be evacuated, forfeited, and destroyed. He reiterated NAFDAC's commitment to ensuring that goods being made available to Nigerians were safe for consumption.