By Maryanne Awuya
Despite official ban by NAFDAC targeting underage drinking and public health risks, 20ml alcohol sachets and small PET bottles remain widely available across Abuja’s markets, open stalls, and popular drinking spots.
An on-the-ground investigation by PerSecondNews Health correspondent across Utako, Jabi, Maitama, and surrounding districts revealed that these high-concentration products enjoy unhindered distribution and sale.
Vendors openly display sachets to early-morning buyers, leaving drinking spots littered with evidence of heavy daily consumption.
Separate interviews with local traders, consumers, legal experts, and concerned parents highlight a growing divide over the ban, pitting economic survival and cheap access against mounting health and safety concerns.
Traders Caught in Supply Chain Dilemma
Traders operating in Abuja markets disclosed that manufacturers and wholesale distributors are still actively supplying them with the banned packaging, leaving them with inventory they feel compelled to sell.
Speaking under condition of anonymity, a vendor popular in the market simply identified as “Mama T” explained that while operators are aware of regulatory patrols, market demand remains high because smaller packs remain affordable for ordinary buyers.
“They say they do patrols in the market, but people still bring these goods directly into Abuja,” Mama T told Persecondnews.
“It is not a matter of sellers just putting money to add profit; the buyers themselves specifically demand these small ones. If regulators come today and say we must pack up, we will have to look for another business. But for now, manufacturers are still selling to us.”
She also cautioned enforcement officers against using inspection patrols as an opportunity for extortion or undue harassment of small-scale retail vendors.
Economic Survival Driven by Low Costs
For many residents, reliance on sachet alcohol is a direct response to economic hardship. Consumers view the cheap, small-pack options not as a luxury, but as an affordable way to manage daily stress amid rising living costs.
Pushback Against Regulatory Focus
Defending her continued purchase of sachet alcohol, one consumer, Mrs. Y, argued that regulatory authorities are prioritizing the wrong issues.
She urged policymakers to address broader national economic struggles rather than stripping low-income individuals of accessible, low-cost options.
“It takes me to a level that ordinarily I cannot get to… it makes me open to things and I don’t get angry,” Mrs. Y stated.
“I don’t think this is the main problem of Nigeria. These smaller packs are made for people who cannot afford the very big bottles, which are too expensive. As long as the product quality itself is checked, I don’t see anything wrong with smaller sizes for those who want them.”
Conversely, another consumer, Mr. A, acknowledged a dual perspective, noting both the health dangers and the potential impact on factory jobs.
“Healthwise, removing them is good because of liver damage, kidney, and heart-related diseases,” Mr. A noted. “On the employment side, if they ban it completely, people working in those manufacturing factories will become jobless. But from a health view, it saves lives.”
Mothers and Legal Experts Rally Behind Total Enforcement
While consumers cite economic convenience, mothers and legal practitioners in the FCT are demanding strict street-level enforcement to protect children and improve public safety.
Mrs. Baker, a mother residing in Abuja, expressed relief over the crackdown, highlighting the dangers posed by commercial drivers and teenagers accessing easily concealable alcohol.
She told PerSecondNews:”You see some of these commercial bike riders take these things in the morning before driving us on the road, causing reckless accidents,” Mrs. Baker told Persecondnews.
“These sachets are so small you can just keep them in your pocket without anyone knowing, until the smell hits your face. As a mother, I am very happy because our children in secondary school should not be exposed so early to these things.
“Government must go a step further to ensure this ban is strictly enforced so children cannot access them.”
Backing the regulatory body, Senior State Counsel Rotimi Ibama described the decision to wipe out sachet and small PET bottle alcohol as a crucial step for public health, road safety, and environmental sanitation.
“It is a welcome development that will curtail the excessive intake of alcohol by teenagers, adolescents, and commercial drivers at motor parks and commercial outlets where these drinks are sold randomly without age restrictions,” Ibama said.
Ibama further pointed to the severe environmental degradation caused by non-biodegradable sachet littering the nation’s capital.
“Beyond health, these plastic sachets and small bottles are used to litter everywhere, causing environmental hazards,” he added.
“It may be difficult for citizens to adjust initially, but over the long run, it is for our health, safety, and economic development. The environment will be much cleaner and citizens healthier.”
PerSecondNews reports that as banned sachet alcohol flows unchecked through Abuja’s informal markets, public pressure is mounting on regulatory agencies.
The focus has now shifted to whether authorities will expand enforcement beyond bulk wholesale seizures to clear small retail stalls at the neighborhood level
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