The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed three alcohol manufacturing companies in Ogun State for allegedly producing banned sachet alcoholic drinks and alcoholic beverages packaged in PET bottles below 200 millilitres despite the Federal Government's prohibition.
The enforcement operation was carried out in the Sango-Ota and Idi-Iroko areas of Ogun State as part of NAFDAC's ongoing nationwide crackdown on manufacturers violating the ban on small-packaged alcoholic beverages.
According to the agency, the exercise formed part of the second phase of its nationwide enforcement campaign aimed at removing prohibited alcoholic products from the Nigerian market.
NAFDAC said its enforcement team, led by Kunle Ojo, an Assistant Director in the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, uncovered multiple regulatory violations during inspections of the affected factories.
Officials disclosed that inspectors visited the first factory and discovered sachet alcohol in active production alongside large quantities of PET bottles intended for packaging alcoholic drinks below the approved 200ml limit.
The agency initially placed the factory under regulatory hold while investigations continued into the illegal production activities.
However, during a follow-up inspection, officials reportedly discovered that sachet alcoholic products already under enforcement had been secretly removed from the premises without regulatory approval.
NAFDAC described the removal of the products as a serious violation of its enforcement procedures and vowed to take appropriate administrative action against those responsible.
At the second company, inspectors allegedly caught workers continuing the production of sachet alcoholic beverages despite the nationwide ban that took effect earlier this year.
The agency immediately sealed the facility after confirming that prohibited production activities were still ongoing.
NAFDAC also revisited a third factory that had earlier been sanctioned in January, when officials placed 22 production machines on hold and confiscated millions of PET bottles and sachet packaging materials for destruction.
During the latest inspection, investigators allegedly found that the company had broken the official seals placed on the production equipment and resumed manufacturing banned alcoholic drinks.
The agency further reported discovering millions of additional PET bottles at the factory, prompting its immediate closure and sealing.
NAFDAC stressed that the continued production of banned sachet alcohol demonstrates deliberate attempts by some manufacturers to evade regulatory oversight despite repeated warnings.
The Federal Government began enforcing the prohibition on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET bottles below 200ml in January as part of efforts to reduce alcohol abuse, particularly among children and young people.
NAFDAC Director-General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye has consistently maintained that the policy is driven by public health concerns rather than a desire to punish legitimate manufacturers.
The agency noted that recent enforcement operations have uncovered manufacturers still producing prohibited products, with some packaging materials bearing production dates as recent as July 2026.
Officials also revealed that some operators have allegedly attempted to conceal illegal production by relocating equipment to unregistered facilities and removing company signboards to avoid detection.
NAFDAC reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy against regulatory violations and warned that enforcement actions would continue across the country until full compliance with the ban is achieved.
The agency urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report the illegal production, distribution or sale of banned sachet alcoholic beverages to the nearest NAFDAC office to support ongoing efforts to protect public health.