By Ghazali Ibrahim
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has firmly rejected reports that the Federal Government ordered a suspension of its ban on sachet alcohol and alcoholic beverages in PET bottles under 200 ml, insisting the policy remains in force until properly amended or rescinded through official channels.
In a statement on Wednesday, NAFDAC described as false and misleading media claims suggesting the Federal Government directed it to halt enforcement of the ban.
The agency’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said NAFDAC had received no formal communication to suspend regulatory and enforcement activities related to sachet alcohol products, and that the ban continues under its statutory mandate.
NAFDAC reiterated that enforcement actions, including removal of violative sachet and small-volume alcoholic products from the market, are ongoing and guided by existing laws and regulatory frameworks designed to protect public health, especially among children and vulnerable groups.
The agency also urged the public and stakeholders to rely on official government communications rather than unverified reports.
The controversy erupted after multiple news outlets reported that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) had directed NAFDAC to suspend all enforcement actions related to the ban until the National Alcohol Policy is fully implemented and a definitive directive is issued.
Those reports cited concerns about economic disruption and security risks from continued enforcement without a harmonised policy framework.
But NAFDAC’s denial echoed similar clarifications from other sources emphasising that no government order suspending the ban had been communicated to the agency.
Adeyeye stressed that the move to regulate sachet alcohol widely considered cheap and easily accessible is backed by earlier Senate directives and aligns with efforts to curb alcohol misuse among young Nigerians.
The dispute highlights a tangle of mixed messaging and regulatory confusion over the controversial sachet alcohol ban. While some officials and news reports have pointed to a suspension pending further policy direction, NAFDAC maintains its enforcement stance and continues to pursue the regulatory aims of reducing harmful alcohol consumption nationwide.
