Canada has added a specific alcohol safety warning to its travel advice for Nigeria, advising Canadian travellers to be cautious about unregulated and adulterated alcoholic drinks containing potentially dangerous levels of methanol. The update was made to Canada’s Nigeria travel advisory on September 21, 2026.
The warning follows a serious poisoning incident in Ondo State, where Nigerian authorities reported 48 deaths and 182 cases of illness linked to locally prepared alcoholic and herbal concoctions. NAFDAC said preliminary laboratory testing of 15 unlabelled samples found high concentrations of methanol.
Canada's advice is notably specific: travellers are told to buy alcohol from reputable establishments and to seek medical assistance if they begin to feel sick after drinking.
Nigeria is entering another period in which international visitors, diaspora Nigerians and business travellers move through the country in significant numbers. Alcohol is also deeply embedded in Nigeria's social life — from restaurants and hotels to weddings, nightlife and informal gatherings.
Methanol is a highly toxic substance that can cause severe poisoning, including visual impairment, organ damage and death. The recent Ondo cases demonstrate why the distinction between regulated commercial alcohol and an unlabelled or adulterated product can become a matter of life and death.
What happens when something that looks familiar can no longer automatically be assumed to be safe?
For travellers, the practical lesson is straightforward. Canada's advisory is not telling visitors that all alcohol in Nigeria is dangerous. It specifically warns about unregulated and adulterated alcohol and recommends established, reputable sources.
Canada has warned its travellers about the risk of unregulated alcohol following a deadly methanol-related outbreak.
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