The Federal Government has directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to suspend all enforcement actions related 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 issue.
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.
Kuanum said the decision followed a joint intervention by the Office of the SGF and the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), 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 final consultations, full implementation of the National Alcohol Policy and the issuance of a definitive directive,” the statement said.
Although the National Alcohol Policy has been signed by the Federal Ministry of Health in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive, both the SGF’s office and the NSA insisted that NAFDAC must refrain from further enforcement until the policy is fully operational and additional guidance is issued.
The government clarified that the suspension covers factory shutdowns, warehouse sealings and public communications suggesting the immediate enforcement of the sachet alcohol ban.
According to the statement, the continued sealing of warehouses and what it described as a “de facto ban” in the absence of a harmonised policy framework has already triggered economic disruptions and heightened security concerns, particularly due to its impact on employment, supply chains and informal distribution networks nationwide.
Kuanum noted that the directive reinforces an earlier order issued by the SGF’s office in December 2025, which suspended all actions related to the proposed ban pending broader consultations and a final decision.
He added that the SGF’s office also received a letter dated November 13, 2025, from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control, expressing concerns over NAFDAC’s proposed enforcement measures and referencing existing National Assembly resolutions on the matter.
The letter, referenced NASS/10/HR/CT.53/77 and signed by the committee’s Deputy Chairman, Hon. Uchenna Okonkwo, urged caution in implementing the ban.
The Federal Government said it is currently reviewing legislative resolutions, public health considerations, economic implications and broader national interest factors surrounding the issue.
It added that the involvement of the National Security Adviser underscores that the matter extends beyond regulatory concerns, warning that premature enforcement without coordinated policy implementation could destabilise communities, increase unemployment and exacerbate security challenges.
The government assured Nigerians and industry stakeholders that a final decision would be announced after comprehensive consultations and inter-agency coordination, in the interest of public health, economic stability and national security.
