A recent nationwide study found that 54.3 per cent of minors and underage respondents obtained alcohol by themselves and nearly half (49.9 per cent) purchased drinks in sachets or PET bottles.
This was part of the conclusions from the report in the National survey released today by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The survey shows Rivers and Lagos leading other Nigerian states in the percentage of minors buying alcohol in sachets and small bottles
Rivers recorded the highest sachet use at 68.0 per cent and PET use at 64.5 per cent; Lagos followed with 52.3 per cent and 47.7 per cent respectively.
The report warned about drinking frequency: 63.2 per cent of minors were occasional drinkers, while 9.3 per cent of minors and 25.2 per cent of underaged respondents said they drank daily.
NAFDAC director-general Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye said alcohol is “one of the most widely used substances of abuse among youths.”
NAFDAC argues small pack sizes make alcohol cheap, easy to hide and easy for children to carry.
“A ban on small pack sizes, including sachets and bottles below 200 millilitres, can reduce the menace of underage drinking,” the agency said.
The DG added: “This ban is not punitive; it is protective. It is aimed at safeguarding the health and future of our children and youth.”
The agency has resumed enforcing the ban on sachet and very small bottles and is working with the Federal Ministry of Health and consumer bodies on a market-clean up campaign to remove offending products.
Industry groups warn the move could cost jobs, but health officials say protecting children must come first.
The Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) in collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) conducted a survey in 2021 on Underage Drinking and Abuse of Alcohol in Nigeria. DIBAN sponsored the study which was conducted by Research and Data Solutions Ltd, Abuja.
The overall objective of the research was to undertake a national survey of consumers and retailers of alcohol beverages and wines, and to determine the extent of alcohol abuse among underaged persons in Nigeria. The study was conducted between June and August 2021
A total of 1,788 respondents in six states across the six geo-political zones of the country were approached and included in the survey after they agreed to participate in the quantitative survey, using a multiple-choice questionnaire. Both the data collectors and enumerators were trained for the survey.
Findings suggest that 54.3% of minors and the underaged obtained alcohol by themselves from various sources. However, 49.9% of them patronized retailers of drinks sold in sachet packs and pet bottles. A lower proportion of this population patronized liquor stores (15.4%), restaurants (12.6%), and supermarkets (7.9%). Findings further suggest that the minors and the underaged in the study also accessed alcoholic drinks from friends and relatives (49.9%), as well as from social gatherings (45.9%).
Of those who procured drinks for themselves, 47.2% of minors and 48.8% of the underaged procured drinks in sachets, while 41.2% of minors and 47.2% of the underaged procured drinks in pet bottles. About 27.6% of the underaged procured alcohol in glass bottles. The procurement of drinks in sachets and PET bottles was reported most in Rivers (68.0% and 64.5%), Lagos (52.3% and 47.7%), and Kaduna (38.6% and 28.4%) states compared to other study states. See the figure below. The proportion of drinks procured in sachets was higher among males (51.4%) compared to females (41.5%) and more in rural (50.1%) compared to urban (45.3%) locations.
