Federal Government Tells NAFDAC To Suspend Sachet Alcohol Ban

The Federal Government has reaffirmed the suspension of all enforcement actions relating to the proposed ban on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle alcoholic products, calling on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to halt enforcement activities.

In a statement by the Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the SGF, Terrence Kuanum, the OSGF and made available to LEADERSHIP, the office disclosed that it had received a letter from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control dated November 13, 2025. The correspondence, referenced NASS/10/HR/CT.53/77 and signed by the committee’s Deputy Chairman, Hon. Uchenna Harris Okonkwo, expressed concern over NAFDAC’s enforcement plans and drew attention to existing resolutions of the National Assembly on the issue.

The OSGF explained that, in line with its statutory role as Chairman of the Cabinet Secretariat, it is currently reviewing all relevant legislative resolutions, public health considerations, economic implications and national interest factors surrounding the matter.

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

The Office further clarified that any enforcement action carried out by NAFDAC or any other agency without clearance from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation should be regarded as invalid until an official government position is formally communicated.

With the intervention of the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Federal Government underscored that the issue has moved beyond regulatory concerns, warning that premature enforcement could destabilise communities, worsen unemployment and trigger avoidable security challenges.

The Federal Government assured Nigerians and industry stakeholders that a final, balanced and lawful decision would be communicated in due course after comprehensive consultations and inter-agency coordination, in the overall interest of public health, economic stability and national security.

The directive 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 (NSA), which raised concerns over the security, economic and social implications of continued enforcement in the absence of a fully implemented National Alcohol Policy.

According to the two offices, the National Alcohol Policy has been signed by the Federal Ministry of Health in line with the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. However, they stressed that until the policy is fully operationalised and further guidance is issued by the Office of the SGF, NAFDAC must refrain from all enforcement actions or public emphasis on the sachet alcohol ban.

They warned that the continued sealing of factories and warehouses, without a harmonised policy framework, is already disrupting supply chains, threatening jobs and creating conditions that could pose wider security risks, especially within informal distribution networks across the country.

The position reinforces an earlier directive issued by the OSGF in December 2025, which formally suspended all actions connected to the proposed ban pending further consultations and a final decision by the Federal Government.