Kenya’s National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has proposed banning online alcohol sales and home deliveries, raising the legal drinking age from 18 to 21, and creating no-alcohol zones near schools, churches, and residential areas.

The draft policy, open for public consultation, also seeks to bar entertainment figures, sports personalities, models, social media influencers, and celebrities from alcohol advertising.

If implemented, TechCabal reported, measures would disrupt a delivery-based retail model that grew sharply during COVID-19 restrictions. Alcohol home deliveries have become a core business for supermarkets, e-commerce platforms, licensed liquor shops, and gig-economy riders.

Carrefour Kenya, operated under franchise by UAE-based Majid Al Futtaim and part of Carrefour SA, listed on Euronext Paris, for example, offers fast delivery, as does privately held Spanish platform Glovo. Privately owned Kenyan supermarket chains Naivas and Quickmart also run in-house alcohol delivery services.

The proposed rules come amid concern over alcohol use. NACADA’s 2025 report shows that one in every eight Kenyans aged 15–65 — about 3.2mn people — consumes alcohol, with the highest usage among 18- to 24-year-olds. The agency warns of rising underage drinking and a declining age of first consumption.

According to Tech-Ish, NACADA’s proposals extend into the digital space. The agency plans to work with the Communications Authority of Kenya, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations’ cybercrime unit, and the Kenya Film Classification Board to monitor and regulate online content related to alcohol and drug use. Measures include introducing age-gating for adverts, tracking illicit online alcohol dealers, using surveillance tools on platforms such as Telegram, TikTok, and Instagram, and promoting counter-narratives through youth influencers.

Lazaro Sirengo, a Nairobi-based delivery rider, told TechCabal: “If they ban this, it’s like sending me home without notice.” Denis Magara, owner of a licensed liquor store in Embakasi, told the publication that 60 to 70% of his sales come from online orders.

Critics warn the ban could push sales into unregulated channels and fuel counterfeit production. In the UK, alcohol deliveries are allowed but require strict age checks under “Challenge 25” rules. In South Africa, regulators opted for time-based delivery limits and licensing for online sellers after pandemic-era bans.

Public input will determine whether Kenya adopts such regulated models or enforces a full ban that could hit retailers and gig workers dependent on weekend alcohol delivery income.