The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has condemned the Federal Government’s decision to reverse the ban on sachet and small-volume alcohol, describing it as a “troubling setback for public health regulation” in the country.
ACPN National Chairman, Ambrose Ezeh, said the suspension undermines prior evidence-based harm-reduction policies and child protection priorities. The reversal follows a Feb. 11 directive directing NAFDAC to halt enforcement, including sealing factories and warehouses over sachet-alcohol violations, citing security concerns raised by the offices of the SGF and National Security Adviser.
Ezeh emphasized that alcohol misuse accounts for about 29 percent of preventable deaths in Nigeria and nearly half of all road traffic accidents, with more than 60,000 deaths in 2016 alone linked to alcohol-related causes such as liver disease, alcohol-induced cancers, and fatal crashes. He identified sachet alcohol as a major driver of these harms due to its affordability, portability, and easy concealment, particularly among minors.
The ACPN chairman warned that relying solely on warning labels and age restrictions without supply-side controls would render regulations ineffective. He criticized industry lobbying that prioritized commercial interests over public health, urging the government to uphold policies that protect children and strengthen regulatory integrity.
Ezeh concluded: “The prohibition of sachet alcohol should not be treated as symbolic. Protecting children, strengthening regulatory governance, and upholding evidence-based public policy must remain paramount.”
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