FG suspends sachet alcohol ban, asks NAFDAC to stop enforcement

The Federal Government has directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to immediately stop enforcing the ban on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle products.

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 (ONSA), which raised concerns about the economic and security implications of the ongoing enforcement.

In a statement signed by Terrence Kuanum, Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the SGF, the government said enforcement should pause until the National Alcohol Policy is fully implemented.

Although the policy has been signed by the Federal Ministry of Health under the direction of President Bola Tinubu, the government said NAFDAC must not seal factories or warehouses linked to the affected products for now.

The statement said the current situation amounts to a “de facto ban” without a coordinated framework, creating disruptions across supply chains and informal distribution networks.

It warned that continued enforcement could affect jobs, weaken small-scale businesses, and create security risks in communities that depend on the trade.

The decision was also influenced by a letter from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control, dated November 13, 2025. The letter, signed by Deputy Chairman Uchenna Harris Okonkwo, referenced earlier National Assembly resolutions advising caution on the proposed ban.

The government recalled a similar suspension issued in December 2025 and said further consultations are needed to address public health, legislative and economic considerations before a final decision is made.

“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.