FG Suspends Sachet Alcohol Ban, Tells NAFDAC to Stand Down
The Federal Government has again reaffirmed the suspension of all enforcement actions relating to the proposed ban on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle alcoholic products, warning the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to desist forthwith from further sealing of factories and warehouses.
This renewed directive follows 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), both of which have raised serious concerns over the security implications of continued enforcement actions in the absence of a fully implemented National Alcohol Policy.
According to OSGF and NSA, the National Alcohol Policy has now 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 implemented and further policy direction is issued by the Office of the SGF, NAFDAC must refrain from all enforcement measures, including factory shutdowns, warehouse sealing, and public emphasis on the sachet alcohol ban.
The SGF and NSA jointly warned that the continued sealing of warehouses and de facto banning of sachet alcohol products, without a harmonised policy framework, 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.
This position reinforces an earlier directive issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in December 2025, which formally suspended all actions relating to the proposed ban pending consultations and a final government decision.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the SGF, Terrence Kuanum, the OSGF disclosed that it had received an official correspondence from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control, dated November 13, 2025. The letter, referenced NASS/10/HR/CT.53/77 and signed by the committee’s Deputy Chairman, Hon. Uchenna Harris Okonkwo, raised concerns over NAFDAC’s proposed enforcement actions and drew attention to existing resolutions of the National Assembly on the matter.
The OSGF explained that, in line with its statutory role as Chairman of the Cabinet Secretariat, it is currently reviewing all legislative resolutions, public health considerations, economic implications, and national interest factors surrounding the issue.
“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 emphasized.
The Office further clarified that any enforcement action carried out by NAFDAC or any other agency without due clearance and resolution from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation is invalid and should be disregarded by the public until an official position is formally communicated.
With the latest intervention by the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Federal Government has now elevated the matter beyond regulatory concerns, stressing that premature enforcement without coordinated policy implementation could destabilize communities, worsen unemployment, and trigger avoidable security challenges.
The SGF and NSA reiterated that the warning stands, and that NAFDAC is expected to cease forthwith from further enforcement actions or public emphasis on the sachet alcohol ban until the National Alcohol Policy is fully operationalized and further directives are issued by the appropriate authorities.
The Federal Government assured Nigerians and industry stakeholders that a final, balanced, and lawful decision would be communicated in due course, following comprehensive consultations and inter-agency coordination in the overall interest of public health, economic stability, and national security.
