UK Issues Fresh Travel Alert Over Fake Alcohol Risk in Nigeria, Seven Other Nations

The United Kingdom has issued a fresh travel advisory cautioning its citizens against the r+sk of methanol poisoning from counterfeit or contaminated alcoholic beverages in Nigeria and seven other countries.

According to a report by the BBC on Tuesday, the UK Foreign Office updated its travel guidance to include Nigeria, Ecuador, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Peru, Russia, and Uganda as countries with a high risk of methanol-related poisoning incidents involving British nationals.

Previously, the list featured Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Turkey, Costa Rica, and Fiji.

The Foreign Office explained that methanol, a tox+c industrial alcohol made from wood distillation, is sometimes illegally mixed with genuine spirit-based drinks and cocktails. Even in small quantities, it can be fatal.

“Methanol is tox+c even in small amounts. It can be found in products like antifreeze, fuel, and paint thinners,” the advisory stated. To stay safe, the UK warned its citizens to avoid consuming unlabelled, homemade, or streetside alcoholic drinks while travelling.

“Avoid homemade or streetside alcohol. Don’t drink from unlabelled bottles. Local spirits or homemade alcohol are at high risk,” the Foreign Office advised. Travellers were also urged to stick to licensed liquor outlets, bars, and hotels, and to only consume sealed drinks with intact packaging.

“Be cautious about spirits, cocktails, shots, and unusually cheap or free drinks,” the warning added, noting that pre-mixed cocktails served in buckets or jugs in tourist areas could be especially dangerous.