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FG directs immediate halt to enforcement actions
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Factories, warehouses to stop being sealed
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Decision linked to economic and security concerns
The Federal Government has directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to immediately suspend enforcement of the ban on sachet alcohol and alcoholic beverages sold in 200ml PET bottles.
The directive was conveyed in a statement issued by Terrence Kuanum, Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
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According to the statement, all enforcement measures — including the sealing of factories and warehouses — must cease pending the full implementation of the National Alcohol Policy and further government directives.
The sachet alcohol ban, earlier approved by the Federal Ministry of Health under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has generated intense debate among regulators, lawmakers, manufacturers, labour unions and public health advocates.
Government sources indicated that continuing enforcement without a harmonised regulatory framework was creating economic strain, threatening thousands of jobs, and raising fears of possible unrest in communities dependent on the alcohol production and distribution chain.
The directive also referenced communication from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control, which reportedly highlighted existing legislative resolutions opposing the current enforcement approach.
NAFDAC’s earlier clampdown had drawn strong resistance from industry groups, who warned that abrupt implementation could undermine investments and disrupt livelihoods across the value chain.
The latest order represents a temporary pause as consultations continue to balance public health objectives with economic and social realities.
