Over 54% of Nigerian Minors Buy Alcohol Themselves – NAFDAC Survey Exposes Alarming Underage Drinking Crisis

In a startling disclosure that has sent shockwaves through parents, educators, and health experts across the nation, a recent survey by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has revealed that more than half of minors and underage persons in Nigeria are purchasing alcoholic beverages on their own. This easy access to alcohol is fueling a growing public health epidemic among the youth, with experts warning of long-term consequences like addiction, poor academic performance, and increased social vices.

The survey, titled Underage Drinking and Abuse of Alcohol: Access to Alcohol and Frequency of Consumption, was unveiled on Tuesday by NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, during a press briefing in Abuja. It paints a grim picture of how alcohol, often seen as an adult indulgence, has infiltrated the lives of children and adolescents in Nigeria.

According to the findings from 1,788 respondents across six states representing all geopolitical zones – Gombe (North East), Kaduna (North West), Federal Capital Territory (North Central), Anambra (South East), Lagos (South West), and Rivers (South South) – a whopping 54.3 per cent of persons under 18 years old buy alcohol themselves from various outlets. This includes retailers selling drinks in sachet packs and PET bottles (49.9 per cent), liquor stores (15.4 per cent), restaurants (12.6 per cent), and supermarkets (7.9 per cent).

The study, conducted between June and August 2021 by Research and Data Solutions Ltd in collaboration with NAFDAC and sponsored by the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), categorizes respondents into minors (below 13 years), underage (13–17 years), and adults (18 years and above). It highlights multiple channels through which young people access alcohol: 49.9 per cent from friends and relatives, and 45.9 per cent from social gatherings.

Rivers and Lagos states emerged as hotspots for sachet alcohol consumption among minors, according to the data, underscoring urban areas’ vulnerability due to high population density and easy availability. Preferences lean heavily towards small, concealable packs: 47.2 per cent of minors and 48.8 per cent of underage persons opt for sachets, while 41.2 per cent of minors and 47.2 per cent of underage choose PET bottles. About 27.6 per cent of underage respondents go for glass bottles.

On consumption habits, the survey shows that 54.0 per cent of all respondents are occasional drinkers, 24.0 per cent consume daily, and 11.0 per cent drink at least once a week. Among the young, occasional drinking dominates at 63.2 per cent for minors and 54.0 per cent for underage, but alarmingly, daily intake is reported by 9.3 per cent of minors and a staggering 25.2 per cent of underage persons – meaning one in four underage Nigerians drinks alcohol every day. Weekly consumption stands at 11.3 per cent for minors and 9.4 per cent for underage.

Prof. Adeyeye described alcohol as “one of the most widely used substances of abuse among youths” and a “growing public health concern in Nigeria,” linking it to issues like road accidents, school dropouts, and other societal ills. The findings align with broader research, such as a study by Nigerian Health Watch, which indicates that nearly four in ten adolescents first encounter alcohol through sachets, and over 60 per cent of alcohol consumed by low-income urban youth in Lagos and Ogun states comes from these small packs.

This revelation comes amid NAFDAC’s intensified enforcement of a ban on alcoholic beverages in sachets and small PET or glass bottles below 200ml, effective from December 2025, as directed by the Nigerian Senate. As earlier reported by NaijaChoice News, the agency has reaffirmed its commitment to this policy, emphasizing that it targets child protection rather than banning alcohol outright, despite pushback from manufacturers and groups like the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), who warn of economic losses exceeding N400 billion and job cuts.

The survey recommends limiting access by banning small pack sizes that are easily hidden, and calls for heightened vigilance from parents, teachers, religious leaders, and communities. “Access to alcohol by children can be limited if pack sizes that can be easily concealed are not available,” it states.

Health advocates in Ibadan and beyond are urging immediate action, with one local expert telling NaijaChoice News, “This is a wake-up call. Our children’s future is at stake if we don’t enforce stricter controls now.“