Protest at NAFDAC Office as Distillers Challenge Sachet Alcohol Ban
By: Emmanuel Ibitoye
Members of the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) and their employees have staged a protest at the Lagos office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The demonstration, held in the Isolo area of Lagos, is in response to NAFDAC’s enforcement of the ban on alcoholic beverages in sachets and glass bottles of 200ml and below, effective February 1, 2024.
Protesters, carrying placards with messages such as “Let poor Nigerians breathe” and “Let beverage workers breathe,” expressed their opposition to the ban. NAFDAC’s Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye, previously emphasized that no such beverages were registered with the agency.
On February 13, 2024, members of the Food, Beverage, and Tobacco Senior Staff Association of Nigeria gave NAFDAC a 14-day ultimatum to reverse the ban on sachet alcohol. The association, affiliated with the Trade Union Congress (TUC), issued the threat during a protest at the NAFDAC headquarters in Abuja. Members warned of escalating protests across NAFDAC offices nationwide if their concerns are not addressed.
