The Federal Government has directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to immediately halt all enforcement actions related to the ban on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle alcoholic products.
The order followed a joint intervention by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), which raised serious concerns about the potential economic and security implications of continued enforcement.
According to the government, enforcing the ban in the absence of a fully implemented National Alcohol Policy could destabilise communities, worsen unemployment, and trigger avoidable security challenges across the country.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Terrence Kuanum, the Federal Government clarified that although the National Alcohol Policy has been signed by the Federal Ministry of Health under the directive of President Bola Tinubu, NAFDAC must refrain from sealing factories, warehouses, or carrying out related enforcement actions until the policy is fully operationalised.
The OSGF and ONSA warned that the current “de facto banning” of sachet alcohol products without a harmonised regulatory framework is already causing significant disruptions.
“The continued sealing of warehouses and de facto banning of sachet alcohol products is already creating economic disruptions and poses a growing security threat, particularly given the impact on employment, supply chains, and informal distribution networks across the country,” the statement said.
The OSGF also disclosed that the decision was informed by a letter from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control, dated November 13, 2025. The correspondence, signed by the committee’s Deputy Chairman, Hon. Uchenna Harris Okonkwo, drew attention to existing National Assembly resolutions cautioning against the proposed ban.
Reaffirming an earlier suspension announced in December 2025, the OSGF noted that its role includes a careful review of legislative, public health, economic, and security considerations before a final decision is taken.
“Accordingly, all actions, decisions, or enforcement measures relating to the ongoing ban on sachet alcohol are to be suspended pending the conclusion of consultations, full implementation of the National Alcohol Policy, and the issuance of a final directive,” the statement stressed.
The Federal Government further declared that any enforcement actions carried out by NAFDAC without clearance from the OSGF are invalid, urging members of the public and industry stakeholders to disregard such measures.
The statement assured Nigerians that a final, balanced, and lawful decision would be communicated in due course, with due consideration for public health, national security, and economic stability.
Elijah Adeyemi
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