In a major turn of events, the Federal Government on Wednesday directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to suspend all enforcement actions relating to the proposed to the ban on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle alcoholic products.
Consequently, the government also directed the agency to immediately stop sealing factories and warehouses over the issue.
The directive was announced Wednesday in Abuja via a statement from Terrence Kuanum, Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
Kuanum explained that the suspension follows a joint review by the SGF and the National Security Adviser, who warned of potential security risks if enforcement continues before a comprehensive National Alcohol Policy is in place.
“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,” it stated.
He said although the National Alcohol Policy had been signed by the Federal Ministry of Health in line with the directive of President Bola Tinubu, both offices insisted that NAFDAC must refrain from all enforcement measures until the policy is fully implemented and further directives are issued.
The government said such measures include factory shutdowns, warehouse sealing and public emphasis on the sachet alcohol ban.
According to the statement, the continued sealing of warehouses and what it described as a “de facto ban” on sachet alcohol products, without a harmonised policy framework, was already causing economic disruptions and posing security risks, particularly due to its impact on jobs, supply chains and informal distribution networks nationwide.
Kuanum said the position reinforced an earlier directive issued by the SGF’s office in December 2025, which suspended all actions relating to the proposed ban pending consultations and a final decision.
He added that the SGF’s office had also received a letter from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control dated November 13, 2025, raising concerns over NAFDAC’s proposed enforcement actions and referencing existing resolutions of the National Assembly on the issue.
The letter, referenced NASS/10/HR/CT.53/77 and signed by the Deputy Chairman of the committee, Hon. Uchenna Okonkwo, raised concerns over NAFDAC’s proposed enforcement actions and drew attention to existing resolutions of the National Assembly on the issue.
The government said it was reviewing legislative resolutions, public health considerations, economic implications and national interest factors surrounding the matter.
The government said the involvement of the National Security Adviser showed that the issue had gone beyond regulatory concerns, warning that premature enforcement without coordinated policy implementation could destabilise communities, worsen unemployment and trigger security challenges.
It assured Nigerians and industry stakeholders that a final decision would be communicated after consultations and inter-agency coordination, in the interest of public health, economic stability and national security.
Persecondnews recalls that the ban was first mooted in December 2018 with NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health, and industry stakeholders (such as the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to phase out these products over five years.
The original deadline for the total ban was set for January 31, 2024.
Following appeals from manufacturers regarding economic impact and the need to reconfigure production lines, the Federal Government granted a one-year moratorium. On November 11, 2025, NAFDAC officially announced that the final deadline for the ban would be in December 2025, with enforcement beginning in January 2026.
In November 2025, the Nigerian Senate issued a decisive order to NAFDAC to strictly enforce the ban by the December 2025 deadline, explicitly stating that no further extensions should be granted.
The government cited concerns over economic stability, potential job losses, and security risks.
Author
Leave a comment