The Federal Government has ordered the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to halt all enforcement of the proposed ban on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle alcoholic products. Factories and warehouses are also to stop being sealed over the issue.
The directive, issued in Abuja by Terrence Kuanum, Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, followed a joint intervention by the Office of the SGF and the National Security Adviser, which raised concerns over the security and economic implications of enforcing the ban without a fully implemented National Alcohol Policy.
The statement emphasized that all enforcement actions, public emphasis, and shutdowns related to the ban are suspended pending final consultations, full implementation of the policy, and issuance of further directives.
Although the National Alcohol Policy has been signed by the Federal Ministry of Health, both offices insisted that NAFDAC must refrain from enforcement until the policy is fully in effect. Continued enforcement, described as a “de facto ban,” was already causing economic disruption, job losses, and risks to informal supply chains, raising national security concerns.
The government assured Nigerians and stakeholders that a final decision will follow coordinated consultations, taking into account public health, economic stability, and national security.
