The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has defended the nationwide ban on sachet and small-pack alcoholic drinks, describing it as the most effective measure to curb rising cases of underage drinking in the country.
Adeyeye spoke in Abuja on Tuesday at a press conference marking the commencement of enforcement of the ban. She said the exercise would be jointly carried out by NAFDAC, the National Orientation Agency, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.
According to her, restricting the sale of alcohol in sachets and small-volume bottles, which can be easily hidden, would significantly reduce children’s access to alcoholic beverages. She noted that alcohol remains one of the most commonly abused substances among young people .
Citing findings from a 2021 nationwide survey conducted by NAFDAC in conjunction with the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), Adeyeye revealed alarming statistics. The research, which sampled 1,788 respondents across the six geopolitical zones, showed that 54.3 per cent of minors and underage individuals obtained alcohol by themselves from various sources, while 49.9 per cent patronised retailers selling sachets and PET bottles .
About 50 per cent of children consume alcohol, with the data showing that 47.2 per cent of minors and 48.8 per cent of underage persons who purchased alcohol themselves opted for sachets because they are easy to conceal .
“Whether you are a good parent or a bad parent, it doesn’t really matter,” Adeyeye stressed, explaining that the packaging makes it easy for children to hide alcohol from their families .
The survey also indicated that 63.2 per cent of minors and 54 per cent of underage persons drink alcohol occasionally, compared to 44.3 per cent and 38.3 per cent of adults who consume alcohol occasionally and daily, respectively .
Additionally, 9.3 per cent of minors and 25.2 per cent of underage children consume alcoholic beverages daily, while 11.3 per cent of minors and 9.4 per cent of underage individuals take alcohol at least once a week. The study found that children as young as nine years old consume alcohol .
