The Federal Government has ordered to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC, ordering an immediate cessation of all enforcement actions regarding the ban on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle products.
The directive, 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, cited grave concerns over economic stability and potential security threats.
Without a National Alcohol Policy that is properly implemented, both offices cautioned that more enforcement could “destabilise communities, worsen unemployment, and trigger avoidable security challenges.”
The government explained in a statement issued by Terrence Kuanum, Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the SGF, that although the Federal Ministry of Health, acting under President Bola Tinubu’s direction, has signed the National Alcohol Policy, NAFDAC is not allowed to seal factories or warehouses until the policy is fully operationalised.
The existing “de facto banning” of these items in the absence of a unified framework is causing serious disruptions, the SGF and NSA stressed.
“The continued sealing of warehouses and de facto banning of sachet alcohol products… 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,” the statement warned.
The OSGF further revealed that its decision was influenced by correspondence from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control, dated November 13, 2025.
The letter, signed by Deputy Chairman Hon. Uchenna Harris Okonkwo, highlighted existing National Assembly resolutions that cautioned against the proposed ban.
Reaffirming a previous suspension issued in December 2025, the OSGF stated its role in reviewing legislative, public health, and economic factors before a final decision is reached.
