REASONS WHY NACADA WANTS THE DRINKING AGE INCREASED

The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) Deputy Director of Legal and Regulatory Services, was at pains explaining why the Authority seeks to raise the legal drinking age from 18 years to 21 years. Daniel Konyango, in a media interview on July 30, 2025, outlined some of the reasons why NACADA wants the drinking age increased.
According to the Deputy Director of Legal and Regulatory Services, one of the reasons the Authority wants the age limit raised is that, scientifically, the brain matures at around 25 years of age. Therefore, raising the drinking age to 21 would be appropriate.
“Now, the age of 21 is not a unique proposal. Number one, this age is based on cogent scientific and behavioral studies worldwide. Indeed, the WHO resolutions that inform this policy at a global level base many of their strategies on health issues.
It is scientifically stated and proven that the human brain fully develops at age 25. So, at age 21, we are dealing with young populations that are still quite vulnerable and still developing,” said the NACADA official.
Beyond scientific evidence, Konyango added that, from a legal perspective, there are comparative positions globally.
“The US, which is often considered the ideal model of civil liberties, has its minimum drinking age set at 21, despite having other majority age thresholds, such as those for driving and voting, set differently. In Africa, we also have various countries whose minimum drinking age differs from the universal suffrage age,” he said.
The NACADA official also clarified that none of the proposals, including the age limit increase, are currently in force stating that those proposals, which caused public uproar on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, are now with legislators—both Houses of Parliament as well as county assemblies—to determine whether they will sail through.