* Say decision aligns with agency’s statutory duty to safeguard public wellbeing
The Muslim Lecturers Association (MLA), Nigeria, has thrown its full weight behind the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) over its recent ban on the production, distribution and sale of sachet alcoholic drinks, describing the policy as a “life-saving national imperative” critical to Nigeria’s health, security and development.
In a statement dated February 3, 2026, and signed by its President, Prof. Wasiu Olabamiji Ajagbe, the association commended NAFDAC, under the leadership of Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, for what it called a decisive and courageous action against sachet alcohol, popularly known as pẹlẹbẹ or fẹnujá in Yorùbá communities, barasa a leda in parts of the North, and often linked to sachet gins and ogogoro in the South-East.
The association expressed concern over growing protests and media campaigns by some producers, marketers and consumers opposing the ban, stressing that while public dissent is a democratic right, the policy must be understood within its wider legal, public health and socio-economic context.
According to MLA, NAFDAC is acting within its statutory mandate under the NAFDAC Act (Cap N1, LFN 2004) to protect public health. It noted that sachet alcoholic drinks are often poorly regulated, cheaply produced and aggressively marketed, with many failing basic safety, quality and labelling standards.
The lecturers further cited global and local public health evidence linking sachet alcohol consumption to rising cases of liver disease, mental health disorders, addiction, road accidents, domestic violence and premature deaths, particularly among youths and economically vulnerable groups. Referencing the World Health Organization (WHO), MLA noted that alcohol is classified as a “Group 1 carcinogen,” placing it in the same high-risk category as asbestos and tobacco.
The statement also highlighted broader social consequences, saying communities increasingly associate sachet gins with street violence, crime, family breakdown, school dropout and moral decline. WHO data showing that alcohol consumption caused about 2.6 million deaths globally in 2019 was cited as further justification for the ban.
While acknowledging arguments that sachet alcohol provides jobs and income, MLA warned that an economy driven by widespread addiction is unsustainable. It argued that productivity losses, healthcare costs and social instability far outweigh any short-term economic benefits, insisting that genuine growth must align with decent work and human development.
The association added that the mass commercialization of strong spirits in sachet form represents a distortion of Nigeria’s cultural values, which traditionally treated alcohol with restraint and communal regulation. It stressed that across cultures and belief systems, intoxication is widely viewed as destructive to human dignity and social harmony.
MLA therefore called on government institutions to resist pressure aimed at reversing the ban and urged civil society groups, professional bodies and academics to publicly support NAFDAC’s action. It also appealed to community leaders, parents and youth groups to prioritise long-term societal wellbeing over short-term convenience.
Manufacturers and distributors were advised to redirect their investments toward lawful, health-promoting and sustainable ventures.
Describing the policy as more than a regulatory move, the association said the ban is central to Nigeria’s public health, peace and development agenda and to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
“MLA stands firmly with NAFDAC—for life, for dignity, and for a healthier Nigeria,” the statement concluded.
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