Nigeria: Preventing Underage Drinking
By Raheem Akingbolu
June 6, 2019
Raheem Akingbolu reviews the various campaigns being promoted to control underage drinking and urges stakeholders in the larger alcoholic manufacturing industry to key into the campaign to nip the ugly development in the bud.
Campaign against underage drinking is as old as the history of alcoholic drinking globally. In Nigeria, government through various agencies has consistently mapped out strategies with the understanding of spirit and beer manufacturers to step up the campaign. Among other ways, stakeholders’ engagement, advertising regulation and sensitisation campaigns in schools and places of worship have been deplored well to reach children and their parents on the dangers of early consumption of alcohol.
In what looks like a self-regulatory effort, the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) appears to have taken the gauntlet to champion the course. DIBAN, under the auspices of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), has stepped up its advocacy campaigns to promote responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages while discouraging its sale to users below the age of 18.
Beyond warning inscriptions on product packaging, the association has increased the number of its sensitisation billboards across the major cities of the country as well as increasing its advertisement jingles on radio to warn children against alcoholic consumption. On a general note, the association has also intensified effort to preach responsible drinking among adults. For instance, as one approaches Lagos, a massive billboard is erected along Berger with the inscription; ‘Drink Responsibly… Do not abuse alcohol’. One of the specific campaigns targeted at minors is deplored through bus branding on the popular BRT busses in Lagos; ‘Too Young to Drink… Don’t sell alcohols to anyone under 18 years’
Meanwhile, in a letter dated 6th May, 2019 and addressed to the Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration
and Control by the association, titled; Status Report: Advocacy and messaging on alcohol intake by minors and underage, the association stated that in Abuja, a total number of 2 billboards were deployed along Airport Road by Gosa facing traffic to Airport and along Abuja Keffi road by Nyanya Market with an estimated number of 750,050 and 770,000 being exposed to its message till date, respectively. It was also stated that the association branded five buses in Abuja plying Area 1; Gudu; Gwarimpa; Berger; Banex plaza; Aya, NICON junction to create awareness with an estimated number of eyeball at 882,000 within the time of review. The campaign is billed to run for a period of Six (6) months from March 11, 2019 to September 10, 2019 in the aforementioned locations. The letter was signed by the association’s chairman, Patrick Anegbe, an engineer.