From John Silas
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.
The directive was issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) following the receipt of an official correspondence from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control.
According to a statement released on Monday, the correspondence, dated November 13, 2025, and signed by the committee’s Deputy Chairman, Hon. Uchenna Harris Okonkwo, drew attention to existing National Assembly resolutions concerning the proposed sachet alcohol ban.
The OSGF said the matter is currently under review in line with its statutory coordinating role as Chairman of the Cabinet Secretariat. As a result, all agencies have been directed to halt any enforcement or related decisions until consultations are concluded and a final position is formally issued.
“For the avoidance of doubt, any action or enforcement undertaken by NAFDAC or any other agency on this matter without due clearance and resolution by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation is of no effect and should be disregarded by the public,” the statement said.
The Federal Government assured Nigerians that legislative resolutions, economic implications, public health concerns, and broader national interest considerations are being carefully examined to arrive at a balanced and lawful outcome.
The OSGF added that the public would be duly informed once a final decision has been reached.
The statement was signed by Mr. Terrence Kuanum, Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and dated December 15, 2025.
It will be recalled in this context that the road to the proposed sachet alcohol ban itself began quietly but deliberately years ago, 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.
What followed were phased timelines, repeated warnings to manufacturers and distributors, and a series of postponed deadlines meant to allow industry players adjust, even as resistance mounted from labour unions, traders and manufacturers who warned of job losses and economic dislocation.
By the time the enforcement date drew near, the issue had grown beyond a regulatory action into a national debate, pitting public health concerns against economic realities, setting the stage for the political and legislative intervention that has now forced a pause on the ban’s implementation.
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