Rwanda’s Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) has closed 12 additional factories producing alcoholic beverages, bringing the total number of facilities shut down in an ongoing crackdown on substandard drinks to 148.
The regulator said the latest closures target alcohol manufacturers classified under Category Four (Annex IV), with all operating licences previously issued to the affected factories revoked.
In a statement released on August 6, 2026, Rwanda FDA said the decision was part of broader efforts to protect public health and ensure that alcoholic beverages on the market meet required safety and quality standards.
The authority ordered the immediate withdrawal of all products manufactured by the affected companies and instructed traders and distributors to stop selling or circulating them.
“Owners of the affected factories have been directed to collect all their products from the market and return them to their production sites for recall or destruction in line with established procedures,” Rwanda FDA said.
The manufacturers have been given up to three months to submit reports detailing how they removed the products from the market.
Retailers and distributors were also instructed to keep any remaining stock in appropriate storage facilities while awaiting further guidance on returning the products to suppliers or manufacturers.
Rwanda FDA said failure to comply with the directives would attract additional measures provided for under the country’s laws and regulations governing food and beverage safety.
The latest action follows a nationwide operation launched on August 3, 2026, aimed at eliminating unsafe alcoholic beverages that authorities say pose serious risks to public health.
The crackdown comes amid growing concerns over the production and sale of illicit and poor-quality alcoholic drinks, which have been linked to health complications and deaths among consumers.
In addition to closing local manufacturing facilities, Rwanda FDA has suspended the importation of 52 alcohol brands from abroad as part of measures to tighten control over alcoholic beverages entering and circulating on the Rwandan market.
Authorities say the campaign is intended to strengthen quality assurance, enforce compliance among producers and protect consumers from harmful products.
