FG Suspends NAFDAC Sachet Alcohol Ban Over Lawmakers’ Intervention
The Federal Government has ordered the immediate suspension of all actions and enforcement measures relating to the proposed ban on sachet alcohol products by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), pending further consultations and a final directive.
The decision was conveyed through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) following an official correspondence from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control.
In a statement issued on Monday, the OSGF said the letter, dated November 13, 2025, and signed by the committee’s deputy chairman, Hon. Uchenna Harris Okonkwo, drew attention to existing National Assembly resolutions on the planned ban.
According to the OSGF, the issue is now under review in line with its statutory coordinating role as Chairman of the Cabinet Secretariat. Consequently, all government agencies have been directed to halt any enforcement or related decisions on the matter until consultations are concluded and a final position is formally communicated.
“For the avoidance of doubt, any action or enforcement undertaken by NAFDAC or any other agency on this matter without due clearance and resolution by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation is of no effect and should be disregarded by the public,” the statement said.
The Federal Government assured Nigerians that legislative resolutions, economic implications, public health concerns and broader national interest considerations are being carefully examined to ensure a balanced and lawful outcome. It added that the public would be duly informed once a final decision is reached.
The statement was signed by the Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Terrence Kuanum, and dated December 15, 2025.
The proposed sachet alcohol ban has been years in the making, driven by growing public health concerns over the widespread availability of ultra-cheap alcoholic drinks sold in sachets and small PET bottles. Regulators had warned that such products were easily accessible to minors and vulnerable groups, fuelling alcohol abuse, road accidents, domestic violence and long-term health risks.
NAFDAC had earlier signalled its intentions through stakeholder engagements and policy pronouncements, rolling out phased timelines and issuing repeated warnings to manufacturers and distributors. However, enforcement deadlines were repeatedly postponed as resistance intensified from labour unions, traders and producers, who cautioned against job losses and economic disruption.
As the enforcement date approached, the policy evolved from a regulatory measure into a broader national debate, pitching public health priorities against economic realities and ultimately prompting political and legislative intervention that has now forced a pause in the ban’s implementation.
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