The Presidency orders the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to halt the enforcement of the ban on sachet alcohol, citing economic, security risks
By Edu Abade
The war between the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), some Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on one side, and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has come to an abrupt end, as NAFDAC has lost the fight and surrendered. NAFDAC’s surrender came despite its sustained effort to garner the backing of both local and international agencies in order to emerge victorious.
Just last week, some groups of African public health advocates lent their support to NAFDAC on the ban of alcoholic sachets, maintaining that the move will instill discipline among consumers, reduce alcohol-induced ailments and ensure healthier lifestyles in the country.
The enforcement of the ban has continued to garner more views with pro-health groups from Ghana and Uganda commending the agency for the bold move. Some of the groups that supported NAFDAC include the Uganda Alcohol Policy Alliance (UAPA) and Ghanaian Vision for Sustainable Accelerated Development (VAST-Ghana).
In a letter signed by its Chairperson, Juliet Namukasa and addressed to the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the UAPA commended the Nigerian agency for the decisive enforcement of the ban on sachet and small-volume alcoholic beverages, describing the move as a policy grounded in safeguarding public health and curbing harmful alcohol use, especially among children and youth. Namukasa said that the renewed enforcement of the ban demonstrated a commitment to evidence-based regulation, prioritizing people before profits.
The group insisted that sachet alcohol formats are inexpensive, easily concealed and widely accessible; factors that fuel underage drinking and alcohol-related harm, adding that sustained enforcement signals a powerful public health precedence aligning Nigeria with global alcohol control best practices.
On its part, the VAST Ghana called on the Ghanaian government to emulate the Nigerian example to safeguard public health, especially that of Children.
In a statement dated February 6, 2026, VAST-Ghana commended NAFDAC for enforcing the nationwide ban on sachet alcohol and small bottles under 200ml, despite strong opposition from the alcohol industry. The organization revealed that alcohol in sachets contribute to early alcohol use, addiction and long-term health complications, calling on Ghana’s FDA, which it said already has the legal authority under the Public Health Act (Act 851), to impose a similar ban through administrative action.
The enforcement of the sachet alcohol ban began on January 22, 2026 after more than two years of back and forth between NAFDAC and the alcohol industry over the implementation. The Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers, and Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria had signed an agreement with the Ministry of Health and NAFDAC in December 2018 to phase out production of alcohol in sachet and PET bottles less than 200 ml by January 31, 2024.
At the expiration of the deadline a further extension was given to enable members to adequately prepare for the ban.
The Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB), which claimed that the ban had disrupted operations of many of its members in different parts of the country criticized the policy. There has also been pushback from the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), both of which also hinged their arguments on jobs and investment losses.
NAFDAC had, however, insisted that there was no going back on the ban enforcement, and insisted that its decision was informed by health risks for children whose physiological systems are exposed to alcohol early and the damage it causes.
The agency had also countered industry narratives of job losses by insisting that its actions were directed at halting the production and sale of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small-volume PET bottles, rather than shutting down the entire manufacturing companies.
Meanwhile, the Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) cautioned NAFDAC against yielding to intimidation by the alcohol and beverage industry’s blackmail tactics as it pressed ahead with enforcing the ban on the production, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets, PET bottles and glass bottles of 200ml or less.
RDI Executive Director Philip Jakpor, said, “We must commend NAFDAC for this bold life-saving action. The enforcement of the ban on sachet alcohol is long overdue and it is a step in the right direction. NAFDAC must remain undeterred by the usual rhetoric of the beverage and alcohol industry whose line of argument is usually about imaginary job losses because of their prioritization of profits over health.
“We have said it time and again that alcohol harm is a major but under-addressed driver of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and mental health conditions. Not only adults; Children are victims of this menace and science has proven it.”
While dismissing the beverage and alcohol industry arguments, Jakpor pointed out that it was a known and well documented fact that the industry and their front groups deliberately stand in the way of any form of regulation.
He cited the Movendi International 2025 Big Alcohol Exposed Report which documented 1,300 cases and 77 independent studies of the alcohol industry’s global system of interference that obstructs evidence-based alcohol policy despite strong public support.
“The sustained effort by alcohol lobby in Nigeria to kill and bury the enforcement of the sachet alcohol ban through a potential job loss claim is a clear testament that reinforces a statement in the Big Alcohol Exposed Report that the alcohol industry operates through concrete policy arenas, institutional arrangements, and political moments, adapting to local contexts while following a deliberate and recognizable global strategy”.
As NAFDAC was swimming in the euphoria of having conquered the alcohol industry in the war, the presidency promptly ordered 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.
Both offices warned that continued enforcement, in the absence of a fully implemented National Alcohol Policy, could “destabilize communities, worsen unemployment, and trigger avoidable security challenges.”
In a statement released by Terrence Kuanum, Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the SGF, the presidency clarified that while the National Alcohol Policy has been signed by the Federal Ministry of Health under the direction of President Bola Tinubu, NAFDAC must refrain from sealing factories or warehouses until the policy is fully operationalized.
The SGF and NSA emphasized that the current “de facto banning” of these products without a harmonized framework was creating significant disruptions.
“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.
“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.
The Federal Government also took the step of declaring any unauthorized actions by NAFDAC as “invalid,” urging the public and industry stakeholders to disregard any enforcement measures not cleared by the OSGF.
The statement assured Nigerians that a “final, balanced, and lawful decision” would be communicated in due course, prioritizing public health alongside national security and economic stability.
