The federal government has directed an immediate suspension of all actions and enforcement measures related to the proposed ban on sachet alcohol products by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), pending the outcome of consultations and a final directive.
In a statement issued on Monday, the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) said it received an official correspondence from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control, dated November 13, 2025, regarding the planned enforcement of the ban.
The letter, signed by the committee’s Deputy Chairman, Hon. Uchenna Harris Okonkwo, drew attention to existing resolutions of the National Assembly on the matter.
According to the statement, the correspondence is currently being reviewed by the OSGF in line with its statutory coordinating role as Chairman of the Cabinet Secretariat.
Consequently, the OSGF directed that all decisions, actions or enforcement related to the sachet alcohol ban be put on hold pending the conclusion of consultations and the issuance of a final directive by the office.
The statement further clarified that any enforcement action taken by NAFDAC or any other agency without due clearance and resolution by the OSGF should be disregarded by the public, as such actions would be considered invalid until a final decision is officially communicated.
The OSGF assured Nigerians that relevant legislative resolutions, economic implications, public health concerns and broader national interest considerations are being carefully examined to arrive at a balanced and lawful outcome.
It added that the public would be duly informed once a final position on the matter is reached.
The statement was signed by Terrence Kuanum, Special Adviser on Public Affairs, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and dated December 15, 2025.
The debate over the ban began quietly but deliberately years ago and rooted in growing public health anxieties over the unchecked spread of ultra-cheap alcohol sold in small sachets and PET bottles, which regulators said had become widely accessible to minors and vulnerable groups.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control first signaled its intentions through stakeholder engagements and policy pronouncements that framed sachet alcohol as a contributor to alcohol abuse, road accidents, domestic violence and long-term health risks.
Raheem Akingbolu
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