Perceptions and motivations for No and Low (NoLo) and reduced-strength alcohol consumption among young people in Nigeria

Background Studies on no-and low-strength drinks (NoLo) and reduced-strength alcohol are growing in many high-income countries. However, there is a paucity of such research in low- and middle-income countries, and even less in Nigeria.Methods Drawing on drinking motives and gender scripts, this qualitative study explores young people’s (32 males and 10 females, aged 18–24 years) perceptions and motivations for consuming NoLo and reduced-strength alcoholic beverages in Nigerian society, where high-ethanol products are prevalent. We analyzed data to generate themes with NVivo 12.Results Findings highlighted gendered meanings because most participants perceived NoLo and reduced-strength alcohol as women’s drinks primarily because of their flavored/sweet taste and zero/low ethanol. Some participants were conscious of intoxication and related embarrassments; hence, they were motivated to consume NoLo or reduced-strength alcohol, which they also deliberately consumed occasionally to avoid alcohol dependence. Participants who engaged in high-risk drinking were motivated to consume low-strength drinks instead of full-strength alcohol when they anticipated driving back home from nightlife venues. Findings also revealed gendered motivation, as taste was a reason for women’s consumption of NoLo products. Furthermore, participants who purposefully drank for intoxication rejected NoLo drinks and reduced-strength alcohol solely because they contain zero or insufficient ethanol.Conclusions Implementing mechanisms to reorient young people to change their perception of NoLo as women’s drinks and encouraging those in high-risk groups to substitute full-strength alcohol with NoLo is urgently needed in Nigeria. More research is warranted to inform policies that would encourage alcohol companies to reformulate their products to reduce the overall ethanol level.