In a statement issued on August 3, 2026, Rwanda FDA announced that it had closed 101 additional manufacturers producing fermented alcoholic beverages and ordered the immediate removal of all advertising materials promoting their products across the country.
The regulator also directed that all alcoholic beverages produced by the affected manufacturers be withdrawn from the market immediately.
“Rwanda FDA orders that all beverages produced by these manufacturers be removed from the market. Manufacturers must immediately begin withdrawing the products as soon as they receive this notice,” the statement said.
The authority further instructed the manufacturers to notify all distributors to collect the products from wholesalers and retailers and return both unsold and recalled stock to the production facilities.
Manufacturers have been given three working days from August 3, 2026, to submit a report to Rwanda FDA detailing the product recall process.
Distributors and retailers were also ordered to stop selling or distributing the listed beverages immediately and return any remaining stock to their suppliers, whether distributors or manufacturers.
Rwanda FDA warned that failure to comply with these directives would result in additional measures in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
The authority also urged consumers to stop drinking the affected products, adding that more manufacturers could face similar sanctions as ongoing inspections and enforcement activities continue.
The statement further clarified that any other alcoholic beverages produced by the listed manufacturers, even if they do not appear on the published list, must also be removed from the market.
In addition, all billboards and other advertising materials promoting the affected alcoholic beverage brands must be taken down immediately wherever they are displayed across the country.
The latest enforcement action comes just a day after Rwanda FDA suspended eight distilleries on August 2, 2026, including Ingufu Gin Ltd and NBG Ltd.
The crackdown is part of a broader campaign against unregulated alcoholic beverages, which have caused serious public health concerns in Rwanda. Over the past seven months, such products have reportedly claimed around 50 lives, while about 100 other people suffered severe health complications, including blindness.
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