A Report Has Shown That One In Four Underaged Nigerians Consumes Alcohol Daily, A Trend The National Agency For Food And Drug Administration And Control (NAFDAC) Says Reflects A Growing Public Health Crisis Fuelled By Easy Access To Alcoholic Beverages.

The Survey On Underage Drinking, Conducted By NAFDAC In Collaboration With The Distillers And Blenders Association Of Nigeria (DIBAN), Found That 25.2 Percent Of Underaged Persons Aged 13 To 17 Drink Alcohol Every Day.

It Also Showed That 9.3 Percent Of Minors Below The Age Of 13 Consume Alcohol Daily.

The Report Said Access To Alcohol Remains Largely Unrestricted For Children And Adolescents Across The Country.

According To The Findings, 54.3 Percent Of Minors And Underaged Respondents Reported Buying Alcohol For Themselves, Often Without Any Challenge From Retailers.

Nearly Half Of The Respondents Patronised Outlets Selling Alcohol In Sachets And Small Plastic Bottles, Formats NAFDAC Said Make Concealment And Impulsive Purchases Easier.

The Study Was Conducted Between June And August 2021 Across Six States Representing Nigeria’s Six Geopolitical Zones.

It Involved 1,788 Quantitative Respondents, Alongside Qualitative Interviews With Minors, Underaged Persons And Alcohol Retailers.

Lagos, Rivers And Kaduna Recorded The Highest Levels Of Procurement Of Sachet And PET-Bottled Alcohol.

Beyond Retail Outlets, The Survey Showed That Alcohol Access Is Reinforced Within Homes And Social Environments.

About 49.9 Percent Of Underaged Respondents Said They Obtained Alcohol From Friends Or Relatives, While 45.9 Percent Accessed It At Social Gatherings.

Another 21.7 Percent Reported Sourcing Alcohol From Their Parents’ Homes.

Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC Director-General, Said The Findings Point To Systemic Failures In Enforcement, Parental Oversight And Community Responsibility.

Adeyeye Warned That Early Exposure To Alcohol Increases The Risk Of Long-Term Abuse And Associated Health Complications.

“Consumption Of Alcohol By Children Should Raise Alarm For Parents, Teachers, Religious Leaders And The Community At Large,” She Said.

She Added That Underage Drinking Is “No Longer An Isolated Behaviour But A Widespread Trend”.

While Most Respondents Described Themselves As Occasional Drinkers, NAFDAC Said The High Rate Of Daily Consumption Signals A Shift From Experimentation To Habitual Use.

The Agency Warned That Without Urgent Intervention, The Trend Could Worsen Outcomes Related To Addiction, Mental Health And Academic Performance.

Based On The Findings, NAFDAC Reiterated Its Support For Banning Sachet Alcohol And Bottles Smaller Than 200 Millilitres.

The Agency Said Restricting Small, Easily Concealed Pack Sizes Would Significantly Reduce Access By Minors.

NAFDAC Said The Survey Provides Fresh Evidence To Guide Regulatory Action And Public Awareness Campaigns As Alcohol Availability Continues To Rise.

“Safeguarding The Health Of The Nation Requires Decisive Action To Protect Children From Early Exposure To Alcohol,” Adeyeye Said.