RismadarVoice Reporters,February 11, 2026
Federal Government has directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to immediately suspend all enforcement actions relating to the proposed ban on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle alcoholic products.
The government also ordered the agency to stop sealing factories and warehouses over the issue pending further consultations.
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 the statement, 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 and implementation of the National Alcohol Policy and the issuance of a final directive,” the statement read.
Although the National Alcohol Policy has reportedly been signed by the Federal Ministry of Health in line with the directive of President Bola Tinubu, the SGF and NSA offices insisted that NAFDAC must refrain from enforcement measures until the policy is fully implemented and additional directives are issued.
The government said enforcement actions to be halted include factory shutdowns, sealing of warehouses, and public announcements suggesting a de facto ban on sachet alcohol products.
It warned that continued enforcement without a harmonised policy framework was already causing economic disruptions and could pose security risks, particularly due to its impact on jobs, supply chains and informal distribution networks across the country.
The statement noted that the directive reinforces an earlier order issued by the SGF’s office in December 2025 suspending actions on the proposed ban pending consultations and a final decision.
Kuanum also disclosed that the SGF’s office had received correspondence from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control, dated November 13, 2025, expressing concerns over NAFDAC’s proposed enforcement actions and referencing existing resolutions of the National Assembly.
The letter, signed by the committee’s Deputy Chairman, Hon. Uchenna Okonkwo, urged caution and called attention to legislative resolutions on the matter.
The Federal Government said it is currently reviewing legislative resolutions, public health considerations, economic implications and broader national interest factors before taking a final position.
It added that the involvement of the National Security Adviser underscored that the issue had extended beyond regulatory concerns, warning that premature enforcement without coordinated policy implementation could destabilise communities, worsen unemployment and heighten security challenges.
