Stand-Up Nigeria Condemns NAFDAC’s Ban On Sachet Alcohol

Civil society group, ‘Stand Up Nigeria’, has strongly condemned the decision of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to ban the production, distribution, and consumption of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small-volume bottles, describing the move as “arbitrary, illegal, and economically disastrous.”

At a press conference held in Abuja on Wednesday, the group’s Convener, Sunday Attah, said the directive announced by NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, and allegedly endorsed by some members of the Nigerian Senate, contradicted the spirit of President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’, which prioritises inclusive, people-centered economic development.

Attah accused the NAFDAC DG of high-handedness, alleging that the decision was made without proper consultation with critical industry stakeholders, despite previous agreements reached between the Federal Ministry of Health, the House of Representatives, and industry operators.

“This draconic pronouncement by the NAFDAC DG is not only undemocratic but a betrayal of due process,” Attah said. “It disregards the resolutions of a joint parley with the Ministry of Health and the House of Representatives, where stakeholders reached a common ground on a national alcohol policy framework.”

According to him, the recent ban directive, set to take effect by December 2025, was issued in “collusion” with a section of the Senate and without due regard to the House of Representatives’ ongoing deliberations on the same matter. He claimed that a one-year extension for policy harmonization had already been approved by the Ministry of Health to allow for the validation of a draft National Alcohol Policy.

The group maintained that a stakeholders’ validation meeting held in October 2025 had produced key recommendations to regulate the alcohol industry responsibly, including stronger enforcement, licensed retail outlets, monitoring mechanisms, and public enlightenment campaigns, rather than a total ban.

“What we agreed on was responsible regulation, not prohibition,” Attah emphasised. “Stakeholders, including NAFDAC, the FCCPC, and law enforcement agencies, adopted a multi-sectoral approach to curb underage drinking and ensure product safety, not to destroy a whole industry.”

Stand-Up Nigeria further dismissed NAFDAC’s justification that sachet and small-bottle alcoholic drinks encourage underage consumption, calling it “unfounded and untested.” Attah cited several independent studies and industry-led awareness campaigns reportedly costing over ₦1 billion, aimed at discouraging alcohol abuse among minors.

“The claim that minors are the major consumers of sachet alcohol has been refuted by independent research,” he said. “Even at that, manufacturers have invested massively in campaigns for responsible drinking.”

The group warned that the economic fallout of enforcing the ban would be catastrophic, estimating potential losses of “₦1.9 trillion” in investments, the retrenchment of over “500,000 direct workers”, and the displacement of “about 5 million indirect jobs” in logistics, distribution, and marketing.

“This policy, if implemented, will cripple local manufacturing, destroy indigenous entrepreneurship, and contradict the federal government’s drive for industrial growth and job creation,” the group stated.

Stand Up Nigeria called on the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, to urgently endorse the validated Nigeria National Alcohol Policy and its implementation framework, which was developed through a multi-sectoral process.

The group also urged the Senate to “act with dignity, fairness, and respect for the constitution” by revisiting the issue through a public hearing or broader stakeholder engagement.

In a strong rebuke, Attah demanded that Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye “desist from running NAFDAC like a private enterprise or resign,” insisting that her actions “pose a serious threat” to the implementation of President Tinubu’s economic agenda.

“No agency head should act above the law or in isolation of due process,” Attah said. “We cannot afford to let one person’s overreach undermine national economic progress.”

The group concluded by reaffirming its commitment to advocating for fairness, transparency, and stakeholder participation in policy formulation, especially in sectors critical to Nigeria’s manufacturing and employment landscape.