The FCT Directorate of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control , NAFDAC, has seized contraband alcoholic products in Wuse Market, Abuja.
Following an operation on Thursday, Mr. Kenneth Azikiwe, the Director of NAFDAC’s FCT Directorate, reiterated that the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and PET bottles remain prohibited. He reported that several sachets and small bottles of alcohol, including 30ml and 100ml containers, were discovered and confiscated during the raid.
Azikiwe urged distributors and retailers to stop selling and distributing these banned products and to return any remaining stock to NAFDAC. He emphasized that manufacturers must comply with the 2018 ministerial ban and the agreement signed between NAFDAC and the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria, with support from the Association of Food, Tobacco, Beverage Employers and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council.
READ ALSO : NAFDAC alerts the public on counterfeit antimalaria drugs in circulation
He explained that the agreement, which involved a phased removal of banned products from the market, has now reached its final stage. “Since 2018, we have stopped registering and renewing licenses for these products, allowing manufacturers time to exhaust existing stocks and cease production,” he said.
Azikiwe warned that violations of the ban would result in legal consequences, including penalties for selling unregistered items. He also noted that public awareness campaigns and stakeholder engagements had been carried out over the years to ensure compliance, and expressed disappointment that some manufacturers and distributors claimed ignorance of the ban despite extensive publicity.
The director further expressed concern about reports of clandestine production of banned sachet alcohol, assuring that NAFDAC’s investigative team would work to uncover and address such activities. He concluded by stressing that compliance with the directive is mandatory, reinforcing the agency’s commitment to safeguarding public health through rigorous regulation.
Credible News.ng
