The agency’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, made the announcement on Monday at an event in Abuja.

She added that the registration of new alcoholic drinks in sachet and small volume PET and Glass bottles containing more than 30% ABV (alcohol by volume) was banned.

Adeyeye added that the agency will ensure that the validity of the renewal of already registered alcoholic products in the affected category will not exceed the year 2024.

She noted that the producers of alcohol in sachets and small volume agreed to reduce production by 50 percent with effect from January 31, 2020, while ensuring the products are completely phased out in the country by 31st January 2024.

The NAFDAC boss revealed that the decision to ban the registration of sachet alcohol came from the recommendation of a high-powered Committee of the Federal Ministry of Health and NAFDAC and some major stakeholders in December 2018.

Adeyeye explained that manufacturers of low volume alcohol beverages (200ml) with satisfactory laboratory reports, which were already submitted to NAFDAC for registration before this decision, have been directed to reformulate their products to stipulated standards free of charge.

She added that the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) had also been given a matching order to launch intensive statewide sensitization efforts against underage alcohol use in order to stop the tide of alcohol addiction in the country.