Regulating Survival: NAFDAC, Sachet Alcohol and Public Health -By Patrick Iwelunmor

Every day across Nigeria, millions of low-income workers reach for sachet alcohol, not simply to drink, but as a small comfort after long shifts, a companion in social rituals and a way of coping with the pressures of daily life. When NAFDAC announced plans to ban these small packets, headlines hailed a victory for child protection and public health. Yet behind the statistics and regulations lies a more complex reality. Sachet alcohol has become intertwined with identity, routine and survival. To remove it without understanding these layers risks doing more harm than good.

Sachet alcohol is cheap, widely available and easily accessed by children, which makes regulation necessary. Research by Nigerian Health Watch suggests that nearly four in ten adolescents first encounter alcohol through sachets, while surveys in Lagos and Ogun States indicate that these products account for over 60 percent of alcohol consumed by low-income urban youth. Children are sometimes sent to buy these drinks for adults, normalising early drinking and creating patterns that can persist into adulthood. Protecting young people from the long-term health consequences of alcohol misuse, including liver damage, addiction and impaired development, is undeniably important.

For adults, sachet alcohol serves purposes far beyond simple consumption. Among artisans, commercial drivers, street vendors and casual labourers, certain brands have become embedded in daily routines, social interactions and informal coping strategies. Consumers often refer to sachets by brand rather than type, associating them with relief after exhausting days, moments of shared camaraderie and the small pleasure of affordable indulgence.

There are also sachet and PET bottle brands that are purportedly sexual potency enhancers, consumed by young adults in the hope of improving sexual performance or treating erectile difficulties. Brands such as Kerewa, Koko Samba, Pankere, Pakurumo, Baby Oku, Black Wood, Alogin and Agbo Jedi easily come to mind. These products are not merely about alcohol consumption; they are intertwined with personal confidence, intimate relationships and a sense of vitality. Such motivations suggest that young adults in search of sexual agility may be particularly resistant to any ban, seeing it as an interference with their personal wellbeing.

This deep attachment makes enforcement particularly tricky. Abrupt prohibition risks pushing consumers towards unregulated and potentially dangerous alternatives. Lessons from the 2018 restriction on codeine-based syrups illustrate how sudden bans can drive informal markets, creating unintended health risks. Effective regulation must therefore take demand as seriously as supply, combining enforcement with public education, community consultation and the provision of safer alternatives.

National wellbeing cannot be achieved through prohibition alone. Research shows that harm reduction works best when combined with education, controlled distribution and community engagement. Gradual restrictions, stricter enforcement of age limits, licensing of retail outlets and clear health warnings are likely to achieve better outcomes than an outright ban. Policies must also recognise the livelihoods at stake. From factory workers to distributors and street vendors, thousands of Nigerians depend directly or indirectly on the sachet alcohol supply chain. Sudden disruption could worsen economic hardship, fuel resentment and push informal networks into illegal markets, with consequences for both public health and social stability.

Social and cultural factors are equally significant. Over time, sachet alcohol has acquired social meaning in many low-income urban areas. Brand choice signals resilience, taste and group identity, while consumption forms part of informal rituals, small celebrations and coping strategies. Micro-distribution networks, small-scale vendors and community gatherings built around these products foster local cohesion and provide supplementary income for families struggling to make ends meet. Ignoring these realities risks resistance that could undermine enforcement and create tensions between regulatory intentions and everyday life.

Capacity constraints present another hurdle. NAFDAC and other regulatory bodies face limited resources, fragmented monitoring and difficulty reaching informal markets that dominate distribution. Without complementary measures such as public education, safe alternatives and dialogue with communities, a ban may be more symbolic than effective. Coordination with local leaders, youth associations and community groups could improve compliance while maintaining the intended public health benefits. Sustained outreach, awareness campaigns and incentivising legal distribution could complement enforcement to create a more holistic approach.

The tension between protection and survival lies at the heart of this debate. On one hand, preventing underage consumption and safeguarding public health is essential. On the other, the social, economic and cultural realities of adult consumers cannot be ignored. Empathy, evidence and gradual implementation are key to crafting effective policy. Policymakers must recognise that punitive measures alone cannot change behaviour overnight. Engagement, trust-building and community participation are equally important in achieving sustainable outcomes.

Ultimately, the sachet alcohol debate is a test of policy realism. Wellbeing is not achieved through rules alone, but through trust, inclusion and an understanding of everyday lives. Regulation that balances child protection with economic realities, social identity and coping strategies is far more likely to be effective, humane and sustainable. Policymakers must act with both authority and empathy or risk implementing a ban that protects neither children nor communities.