FG Orders NAFDAC To Suspend Sachet Alcohol Ban Enforcement

The Federal Government has ordered the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to suspend the enforcement of planned ban on sachet alcohol and alcoholic drinks sold in 200ml plastic bottles.

The government also warned the agency to stop shutting down factories and sealing warehouses over the matter.

This directive was announced on Wednesday in Abuja in a statement by Terrence Kuanum, Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

Kuanum said the decision followed a joint review by the SGF’s office and the Office of the National Security Adviser.

Both offices raised concerns about the possible security consequences of continuing enforcement when the National Alcohol Policy has not yet been fully put into effect.

“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 read.

Kuanum said although the Federal Ministry of Health has signed the National Alcohol Policy in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive, the government said enforcement must wait until all processes are concluded and clear instructions are issued.

The government warned that ongoing crackdowns were already affecting businesses and creating tension.

They said shutting warehouses and limiting the sale of sachet alcohol without a clear and coordinated policy framework was disrupting supply chains, threatening jobs, and affecting informal traders across the country.

Kuanum noted that this latest directive supports an earlier instruction from the SGF’s office in December 2025, which had already paused actions related to the proposed ban pending wider consultations.

He also revealed that the SGF’s office received a letter dated November 13, 2025, from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control.

The letter, signed by the committee’s Deputy Chairman, Hon. Uchenna Okonkwo, expressed concern about NAFDAC’s planned enforcement steps and referred to existing resolutions of the National Assembly on the issue.

The government said it is currently reviewing all relevant factors, including public health concerns, economic effects, national interest considerations, and legislative resolutions.

It added that the involvement of the National Security Adviser shows the issue now goes beyond regulation alone.

FG warned that enforcing the ban too quickly, without proper coordination, could increase unemployment, disrupt communities, and create security problems.

The government assured the public and industry players that a final decision would be announced after consultations are completed, with careful attention to public health, economic stability, and national security.

This comes months after the Senate ordered the NAFDAC to fully enforce the ban on the production and sale of high-strength alcoholic drinks packaged in sachets.