Background

Alcohol use is a growing public health concern in most LMICs, where weak regulatory systems operate alongside competing economic interests. While studies have documented the involvement of the alcohol industry in policy processes globally, evidence on these processes has not extended sufficiently to sub-Saharan Africa. This study examines Nigeria’s sachet alcohol phase-out within an LMIC public health governance context.

Methods

A qualitative policy analysis was conducted using publicly available documents from 2018 to 2026, including regulatory statements, industry communications, and national and international media reports, which were analyzed thematically using the corporate political activity (CPA) framework.

Results

The regulatory process evolved across four phases: a negotiated transition period, initial enforcement, policy adjustment and suspension, and renewed enforcement. Industry actors deployed constituency building, economic framing, and sustained engagement with decision-makers to shape policy debates and implementation. These strategies operated in a mutually reinforcing manner, with earlier CPA activity creating conditions that made sustained, consistent enforcement difficult. Evidence indicates that corporate influence extended into the implementation phase.

Conclusion

Nigeria’s sachet alcohol case illustrates how industry engagement shapes regulatory outcomes through established governance processes without evidence of regulatory capture. The findings extend existing CPA frameworks, demonstrating that implementation becomes a site of corporate influence.