Rivers and Lagos states top the list in the consumption of alcoholic drinks sold in sachets and Polyethylene Terephthalate bottles among minors and underage persons, according to a nationwide survey by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.
The survey, conducted by NAFDAC in collaboration with the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria and carried out by Research and Data Solutions Ltd, Abuja, covered 1,788 respondents across six states between June and August 2021.
NAFDAC said the study examined access to alcohol and drinking frequency among minors below 13 years, underaged persons aged 13 to 17 years, and adults aged 18 years and above.
Presenting the findings on Tuesday, February 3, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, said alcohol remains “one of the most widely used substances of abuse among youths”.
She added that “the availability and easy access to alcohol have been identified as a contributory factor to the increasing alcohol consumption among minors.”
According to the report, “54.3 per cent of minors and underage respondents obtained alcohol by themselves. Nearly half (49.9 per cent) purchased drinks in sachets or PET bottles, with Rivers State recording the highest rates, 68.0 per cent for sachets and 64.5 per cent for PET bottles.”
“Lagos followed with 52.3 per cent and 47.7 per cent, respectively, while Kaduna recorded 38.6 per cent sachet and 28.4 per cent PET bottle consumption,” the report stated.
It further noted that “the proportion of drinks procured in sachets was higher among males (51.4 per cent) compared to females (41.5 per cent), and more in rural (50.1 per cent) compared to urban (45.3 per cent) locations.”
The report also revealed that minors and underaged respondents accessed alcohol through other channels, including friends and relatives (49.9 per cent), social gatherings (45.9 per cent), and parents’ homes (21.7 per cent).
Among respondents who purchased alcohol themselves, the survey found that 47.2 per cent of minors and 48.8 per cent of underaged persons bought drinks in sachets, while 41.2 per cent of minors and 47.2 per cent of underaged respondents procured alcohol in PET bottles.
On drinking frequency, the report showed that 63.2 per cent of minors and 54.0 per cent of underaged persons were occasional drinkers.
However, 9.3 per cent of minors and 25.2 per cent of underaged respondents reported consuming alcohol daily.
The report called for stricter regulation, stating that “access to alcohol by children can be limited if pack sizes that can be easily concealed are not available.”
It added: “A ban on small pack sizes, including sachets and bottles below 200 millilitres, can reduce the menace of underage drinking.”
The report further urged parents, teachers, religious leaders and communities to take responsibility, warning that “consumption of alcohol by children should raise alarm for parents, teachers, religious leaders and the community at large.”
According to NAFDAC, the findings highlight the need for stronger policy interventions and sustained public awareness campaigns to curb underage drinking in both urban and rural communities across Nigeria.