General News
NAFDAC, NOA Launch Nationwide Enforcement on Sachet Alcohol Ban
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) have officially launched a nationwide enforcement framework to ensure compliance with the Federal Government’s ban on sachet alcohol and alcoholic beverages packaged in containers below 200 millilitres.
The enforcement campaign was unveiled during a joint press briefing in Abuja, signalling the commencement of coordinated regulatory and behavioural change operations across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
Director-General of NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu, described the initiative as a public health intervention aimed at reducing underage access to cheap, high-concentration alcohol.
He noted that sachet alcohol products are inexpensive, portable, and easy to conceal, making them highly accessible to minors.
He explained that the agency would deploy its 818 offices across the country’s 774 local government areas to drive grassroots sensitisation and compliance monitoring.
Activities under the framework will include town hall meetings, market outreach programmes, school engagements, motor park campaigns, and partnerships with religious institutions.
Messages will also be disseminated in local languages to improve community understanding.
The agency plans to leverage television, radio, and digital platforms, including its CLHEEAN mobile application, to encourage citizens to report violations of the ban.
On her part, NAFDAC Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye, said the enforcement aligns with legislative resolutions urging strict implementation of the ban and discouraging further extensions of the moratorium on sachet alcohol production.
The Federal Government had earlier banned the production and sale of alcohol in sachets and in PET or glass bottles smaller than 200ml, effective January 1, 2026.
Adeyeye disclosed that the policy is supported by findings from a 2021 nationwide survey conducted with the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria, which showed significant underage access to alcohol.
The survey indicated that more than half of minors interviewed purchased alcohol themselves, with many obtaining sachet packs directly from retail outlets.
She warned that early alcohol exposure increases the risk of addiction, poor academic performance, road accidents, risky sexual behaviour, and long-term mental health complications, adding that alcohol consumption can adversely affect the developing brain.
Officials said the enforcement drive will target not only production and distribution channels but also retail outlets found violating the ban.
The framework is expected to strengthen regulatory surveillance, boost public awareness, and encourage community participation in protecting vulnerable populations from underage alcohol consumption.
Love
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated former president and elder statesman Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as he celebrates his 89th birthday on March 5.
In a statement conveyed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, President Tinubu highlighted Obasanjo’s enduring influence in Nigeria, across Africa, and beyond. He praised the former leader for his courage and sacrifices, noting Obasanjo’s tenure as Nigeria’s military Head of State from 1976 to 1979, when he handed over power to a civilian government, and later as the first civilian president of the Fourth Republic from 1999 to 2007.
President Tinubu also acknowledged Obasanjo’s historic contributions, including leading troops to preserve Nigeria’s unity during wartime, enduring imprisonment for speaking out against tyranny, and championing Africa’s political and economic interests.
“As Chief Obasanjo turns 89, we celebrate the zeal and wisdom he has brought to Nigeria’s development through his writings and interventions, reflecting a deep patriotism and commitment to nation-building,” the statement said.
The President prayed for continued good health, strength, and wisdom for the former president as he continues to serve the nation and humanity.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has dispatched a five-member delegation to represent Nigeria at the funeral of Rev. Jesse Jackson, the renowned American civil rights leader, activist, and former presidential candidate, who passed away on February 17, 2026, in Chicago at the age of 84.
The delegation is led by Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and includes the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, the Special Presidential Envoy for Global and Pan-African Affairs, Brian Browne, and the Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaye.
The team will deliver President Tinubu’s condolences to the Jackson family and honour the late leader’s enduring contributions to global justice and African liberation.
In a prior tribute, President Tinubu hailed Rev. Jackson “a great friend of Nigeria and Africa,” emphasizing his role as a moral voice and a formidable opponent of apartheid in South Africa. “He played a leading role in the campaign for the release of Nelson Mandela and other African National Congress leaders and was instrumental in securing international support for sanctions against the apartheid regime,” the president wrote.
The burial proceedings began on February 26 with a lying-in-state at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition in Chicago. Additional services were held in South Carolina and Washington, D.C., including a lying-in-state at the South Carolina Statehouse from March 1-5.
The events will conclude with a “People’s Celebration” at the House of Hope in Chicago on March 6, followed by a private homegoing ceremony on March 7 at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
Iran is set to hold a multi-day farewell ceremony for its late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, beginning Wednesday night in the capital, Tehran, according to state media.
Hojjatoleslam Mahmoudi, head of the Islamic Propagation Council, announced that the public memorial will last three days, while details of the funeral procession will be disclosed at a later time.
Citizens will be allowed to pay their respects at the Imam Khomeini Prayer Hall, also known as the Mosalla, starting from 10 p.m. (1830 GMT). Officials encouraged large public participation, describing the ceremony as an opportunity for Iranians to once again demonstrate unity and national presence.
Khamenei, who led Iran for decades and anchored his leadership on strong opposition to the United States and Israel, was reportedly killed on Saturday at the age of 86 in airstrikes carried out by Israeli and U.S. forces, according to Iranian state media.
His death marks a significant turning point in Iran’s political and religious leadership, with authorities yet to formally announce further details regarding succession and burial arrangements.