*Distillers Resume Protest At Agency’s Lagos Office
THE National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NÀFDAC) has insisted that the Federal government had not ordered a reversal of the ban placed on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle alcoholic products, as recently reported.
According to the Wednesday, February 11, report, the government ordered NAFDAC to halt sachet alcohol ban enforcement, citing economic and security risks, referencing a joint intervention by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
Both offices were said to have cutioned that continued enforcement, in the absence of a fully implemented National Alcohol Policy, could “destabilise communities, worsen unemployment and trigger avoidable security challenges.”
A statement by the Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the SGF, Terrence Kuanum, said government clarified that while the National Alcohol Policy has been signed by the Federal Ministry of Health, under the direction of President Bola Tinubu, NAFDAC must refrain from sealing factories or warehouses until the policy is fully operationalised.
The statement stressed that the current “de facto banning” of the products without a harmonised framework was already creating significant disruptions and “poses a growing security threat, particularly given the impact on employment, supply chains, and informal distribution networks across the country.”
It further stated that its decision was informed by correspondence from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control, dated November 13, 2025, highlighting existing National Assembly resolutions that cautioned against the proposed ban.
Pointing to a previous suspension issued in December last year, the OSGF stated its role in reviewing legislative, public health and economic factors before a final decision is reached, adding: “Accordingly, all actions, decisions or enforcement measures relating to the ongoing ban on sachet alcohol are to be suspended pending the final consultations and implementation of the National Alcohol Policy and the issuance of a final directive.”
The Fstatement urged the public and industry stakeholders to disregard any enforcement measures not cleared by the OSGF, saying a “final, balanced and lawful decision,” prioritising public health alongside national security and economic stability, would be communicated in due course.
However, the agency, in a statement signed by its Director General, Mojisola Adeyeys, insisted there was no such order, adding: “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) wishes to categorically refute a news publication alleging that the Federal Government has directed the agency to suspend enforcement actions relating to the regulation of sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle alcoholic products.
“The said publication is false, misleading and does not reflect any official communication received by the Agency from the Federal Government. NAFDAC operates strictly within the ambit of its statutory mandate and in alignment with duly communicated Federal Government policies and directives.
“At no time has the agency received any formal directive ordering the suspension of its regulatory or enforcement activities in respect of sachet alcohol products.
“The agency remains committed to safeguarding public health, ensuring regulatory compliance, and carrying out its responsibilities transparently and in accordance with established laws and due process.”
The NAFDAC boss said any decision affecting national regulatory actions will be communicated through official government channel, urging the public, industry stakeholders and the media to disregard the report and to rely only on verified information issued through the agency’s official platforms and authorised government communication channels.
It also cautioned against the dissemination of unverified information capable of causing unnecessary public anxiety, economic uncertainty or misinterpretation of government policy, noting: “NAFDAC remains steadfast in its commitment to public health, economic stability, and national interest.”
Meanwhile, members of the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB), ostensibly relying on the sais directive/report, on Thursday, February 12, shut down the Lagos office of the agency, protesting the continued enforcement of the ban despite what they described as clear directives from the Federal Government to suspend the action.
The protesters, chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards, demanded the immediate release of products allegedly placed on hold by NAFDAC and reopening of factories and depots sealed during the enforcement, accusing the agency of disregarding the said directive.
The urged the agency’s boss to immediately comply with directives, pending further clarification on implementation.
