FG orders immediate suspension of NAFDAC enforcement on sachet alcohol ban

The Federal Government has directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to immediately suspend all enforcement actions related to the proposed ban on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle alcoholic products.

The government also instructed the agency to halt the sealing of factories and warehouses linked to the policy, pending further consultations and a final directive.

The directive was conveyed in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Terrence Kuanum.

According to Kuanum, the decision followed a joint intervention by the Office of the SGF and the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), which raised concerns about the potential security implications of continued enforcement in the absence of a fully implemented National Alcohol Policy.

“Accordingly, all actions, decisions, or enforcement measures relating to the ongoing ban on sachet alcohol are to be suspended pending the final consultations and implementation of the National Alcohol Policy and the issuance of a final directive,” the statement said.

Although the National Alcohol Policy has been signed by the Federal Ministry of Health in line with the directive of President Bola Tinubu, the SGF and NSA offices insisted that NAFDAC must refrain from enforcement activities until the policy is fully operational and additional directives are issued.

The government clarified that the suspension covers factory shutdowns, warehouse sealing and public communications that suggest a full-scale ban on sachet alcohol products.

READ ALSO: NAFDAC slams ban on alcoholic  drink in sachet, pet bottles

Kuanum noted that the continued sealing of warehouses and what he described as a “de facto ban” without a harmonised policy framework had already begun to cause economic disruptions.

He warned that the development posed security risks, particularly due to its impact on jobs, supply chains and informal distribution networks across the country.

The statement said the position reinforces an earlier directive issued by the SGF’s office in December 2025, which suspended actions relating to the proposed ban pending consultations and a final decision.

It also disclosed that the SGF’s office had received a letter dated November 13, 2025, from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control.

The letter, referenced NASS/10/HR/CT.53/77 and signed by the committee’s Deputy Chairman, Hon. Uchenna Okonkwo, expressed concerns over NAFDAC’s proposed enforcement measures and drew attention to existing resolutions of the National Assembly on the matter.

The Federal Government said it is currently reviewing legislative resolutions, public health considerations, economic implications and broader national interest factors surrounding the proposed ban.

The involvement of the National Security Adviser, the statement noted, underscores the sensitivity of the issue, which it said has moved beyond routine regulatory concerns.

The government warned that premature enforcement without coordinated policy implementation could destabilise communities, worsen unemployment and trigger avoidable security challenges.

It assured Nigerians, industry operators and other stakeholders that a final decision would be communicated after comprehensive consultations and inter-agency coordination, with due regard for public health, economic stability and national security.