A new survey has found that more than half of Nigerian underage persons now buy alcohol for themselves, highlighting how easily young people can access alcoholic drinks despite existing age restrictions.

The survey shows that 54.3 percent of minors procure alcohol directly, while many others get it through informal channels. The study was sponsored by the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) in collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and carried out by Research and Data Solutions Ltd in Abuja.

Titled Survey on Underage Drinking and Abuse of Alcohol: Access to Alcohol and Frequency of Consumption, the report shows a troubling picture of widespread availability. Nearly half of respondents, about 49.9 percent, said they obtained alcohol from friends or relatives, 45.9 percent from social gatherings, and 21.7 percent from their parents’ homes.

Among those who buy alcohol directly, small-sized packaging appears to be the preferred choice. About 47.2 percent of minors and 48.8 percent of underage drinkers said they usually purchase sachets, while 41.2 percent opted for PET bottles and 27.6 percent for glass bottles.

The survey also found that most minors (63.2 percent) and underage drinkers (54.0 percent) consume alcohol only occasionally. Still, regulators say the figures raise serious concerns about weak enforcement of age limits and the ease with which children can have access to alcohol.

In response, NAFDAC has begun enforcing a ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and in small-volume PET or glass bottles below 200 millilitres. The agency says the policy is aimed at making alcohol less accessible to children and adolescents.

According to NAFDAC, sachets are particularly problematic because they are cheap, easy to hide from parents and teachers, and widely available. Simply adding warning labels such as “Not for Children,” the agency argues, has done little to curb underage consumption.

The move builds on a five-year Memorandum of Understanding signed in December 2018 by NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) with the Association of Food, Beverage, and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) and DIBAN. The agreement set out a phased withdrawal of sachet and small-volume alcohol packaging, originally scheduled to end on January 31, 2024. That deadline was later extended to December 2025 to allow manufacturers to clear old stock and adjust their production lines.

Health and education stakeholders have repeatedly linked alcohol consumption among young people to rising cases of domestic violence, road accidents, school dropouts, and other social problems. Teachers, in particular, have raised concerns about students concealing sachets at school. One teacher recounted a student admitting he could not sit for an examination without first consuming at least a sachet of alcohol.

NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has described the ban as a public health intervention rather than a punitive measure.

“This ban is not punitive; it is protective,” she said. “It is aimed at safeguarding the health and future of our children and youth by not allowing alcohol in small pack sizes. The decision is rooted in scientific evidence and public health considerations. We cannot continue to sacrifice the well-being of Nigerians for economic gain. The health of a nation is its true wealth.”

The agency stressed that the regulation affects only two categories of products: spirit drinks packaged in sachets and those sold in PET or glass bottles below 200ml. It has urged manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to comply fully, warning that no further extension will be granted beyond December 2025.

NAFDAC also said it would continue working with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the FCCPC, and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to roll out nationwide sensitisation campaigns on the health and social risks of alcohol misuse.

The agency maintained that it remains committed to ensuring that only safe, wholesome, and properly regulated products are available to Nigerians.