The Federal Government has directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to suspend all enforcement actions relating to the proposed ban on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle alcoholic products.
The government also warned the agency to immediately halt the sealing of factories and warehouses over the matter.
The directive was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Terrence Kuanum.
According to Kuanum, the decision followed a joint intervention by the Office of the SGF and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), which raised concerns about the security implications of continued enforcement in the absence of a fully implemented National Alcohol Policy.
“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.
He said although the National Alcohol Policy had been signed by the Federal Ministry of Health in line with a directive of President Bola Tinubu, both offices insisted that NAFDAC must refrain from enforcement measures until the policy is fully implemented and further directives issued.
The government listed such enforcement actions to include factory shutdowns, warehouse sealing and public emphasis on the sachet alcohol ban.
According to the statement, the continued sealing of warehouses and what it described as a “de facto ban” on sachet alcohol products, without a harmonised policy framework, was already causing economic disruptions and posing security risks, particularly due to its impact on jobs, supply chains and informal distribution networks nationwide.
Kuanum noted that the directive reinforced an earlier order issued by the SGF’s office in December 2025, which suspended all actions relating to the proposed ban pending consultations and a final decision.
He added that the SGF’s office had also received a letter from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control dated November 13, 2025, raising concerns over NAFDAC’s proposed enforcement actions and referencing existing resolutions of the National Assembly on the issue.
The letter, referenced NASS/10/HR/CT.53/77 and signed by the Deputy Chairman of the committee, Hon. Uchenna Okonkwo, drew attention to the legislature’s earlier resolutions and cautioned against unilateral enforcement measures.
The Federal Government said it was reviewing legislative resolutions, public health considerations, economic implications and national interest factors surrounding the proposed ban.
It further stated that the involvement of the National Security Adviser underscored that the matter had gone beyond regulatory concerns, warning that premature enforcement without coordinated policy implementation could destabilise communities, worsen unemployment and trigger security challenges.
The government assured Nigerians and industry stakeholders that a final decision would be communicated after consultations and inter-agency coordination, in the interest of public health, economic stability and national security.
NAFDAC had announced a phased ban on sachet alcohol and small PET bottle spirits as part of efforts to curb alcohol abuse, especially among youths and low-income populations.
The agency had set timelines for the phase-out and commenced enforcement actions, including sealing warehouses and factories producing or distributing such products.
However, the move triggered widespread backlash from manufacturers, distributors, labour unions and lawmakers, who warned of massive job losses, disruption of supply chains and the growth of an unregulated black market. The National Assembly had earlier urged the Federal Government to suspend the ban pending broader consultations.
The intervention by the Office of the National Security Adviser marks a significant escalation, indicating concerns that abrupt enforcement could fuel economic instability and social unrest in communities dependent on sachet alcohol production and distribution.
