ACPN Warns FG’s Sachet Alcohol Reversal Threatens Child Safety, Public Health Gains
The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has raised alarm over the Federal Government’s decision to reverse the ban on sachet and small-volume alcoholic beverages, warning that the move could undo years of progress in child protection and public health policy.
In a statement signed by its National Chairman, Ambrose Ezeh, the association described the policy reversal as a “troubling setback” that weakens evidence-based regulation and sends conflicting signals about national governance priorities.
Ezeh said the original restriction, introduced by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), was rooted in harm-reduction and child-protection objectives and followed extensive consultations with industry stakeholders. He recalled that in December 2018, NAFDAC, working with the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, agreed on a phased five-year transition to eliminate sachet and sub-200ml alcohol by January 2024—a deadline later extended to December 2025 to allow manufacturers adjust responsibly.
According to ACPN, the public health justification for the ban remains compelling. Ezeh cited data linking alcohol misuse to nearly 29 per cent of preventable deaths in Nigeria and close to half of road traffic accidents, noting that more than 60,000 alcohol-related deaths were recorded in 2016 alone, from causes including liver disease, alcohol-induced cancers and fatal crashes.
He warned that sachet alcohol—due to its low cost, portability and ease of concealment—significantly lowers barriers to access, especially for minors, thereby fueling underage drinking and frequent consumption among vulnerable groups. Field data, he said, show that many children independently procure alcohol, with sachets and small bottles being preferred because they are cheap and easy to hide.
The ACPN chairman accused industry actors of intensifying lobbying efforts that reframe the issue around affordability and “moderated consumption,” arguing that such narratives place commercial interests above population health and child welfare. “This reflects an erosion of corporate social responsibility,” Ezeh said, adding that young people are being treated as emerging markets rather than citizens deserving protection.
He further cautioned that relying solely on warning labels and age restrictions without strong supply-side controls would amount to “hollow compliance,” linking the policy reversal to wider enforcement failures that also allow open drug markets and counterfeit medicines to thrive—thereby undermining institutional credibility.
“Nigeria is at a critical policy crossroads,” Ezeh said. “When the choice is between safeguarding public health and preserving profit margins, the ethical calculus should be unequivocal.”
The statement was made available to CEOAFRICA.
