In a bid to protect Nigerian children from the growing dangers of alcohol consumption, the Federal Government has stepped up efforts to curb underage drinking across the country, as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) launched a renewed nationwide campaign against alcohol abuse among minors.

The campaign, flagged off in Abuja on Tuesday in collaboration with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), is aimed at strengthening enforcement of the ban on sachet alcohol and alcoholic beverages packaged in bottles smaller than 200 millilitres.

Speaking at the event, NAFDAC Director-General Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye said the renewed enforcement drive is anchored on the urgent need to safeguard children from early exposure to alcohol.

She warned that alcohol remains one of the most abused substances among young people in Nigeria, largely due to its widespread availability, low cost and small packaging, which makes it easy to conceal.

Adeyeye noted that studies over the years indicate a steady rise in alcohol production, importation and consumption across age groups, but stressed that minors remain the agency’s primary concern.

“We are here for our children. Our presence today is to ensure that the ban on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small bottles of less than 200 millilitres remains in force in the interest of public health and the future of our nation,” she said.

She recalled that manufacturers were granted a five-year moratorium in 2018 to transition away from sachet alcohol production. Following the expiration of extensions and subsequent Senate directives, NAFDAC resumed full enforcement of the ban in line with its statutory mandate.

Citing findings from a 2021 nationwide survey, Adeyeye described the level of access among minors as alarming. According to the data, 54.3 per cent of underage respondents obtained alcohol on their own, while nearly half reported purchasing sachet or small-bottle products— underscoring persistent gaps in access control and enforcement.

Manufacturers were initially granted a five-year moratorium in 2018 to transition away from sachet alcohol production. Following the expiration of extensions and subsequent directives from the Senate, NAFDAC says it has resumed full enforcement under its statutory mandate.

NOA Director-General Lanre Issa-Onilu described the campaign as a coordinated public health intervention rather than a punitive measure.

“For too long, sachet alcohol has been dangerously accessible. It is inexpensive. It is portable. It is easy to conceal,” he said. “No nation prospers when its youth are caught in cycles of preventable addiction.”

The agency plans to mobilise its offices across all 774 local government areas, targeting schools, markets, motor parks, youth groups and religious institutions. Traditional and digital media campaigns will support the drive, alongside the rollout of the NOA CLHEEAN App to enable citizens to report violations.

Both agencies are urging parents, retailers and community leaders to back the enforcement push, stressing that reducing underage access to alcohol is a shared responsibility— and central to safeguarding Nigeria’s next generation.