NAFDAC Says No Directive From Government To Suspend Ban On Sachet, PET Alcohol

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has firmly denied reports stating that the Federal Government directed it to suspend enforcement actions on the regulation of sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle alcoholic products.

The agency described the publication as false, insisting that no such order was issued by the Federal Government.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, NAFDAC clarified that it had not received any official communication instructing it to halt its regulatory activities.

The clarification followed a news report quoting a statement issued in Abuja by the Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Terrence Kuanum, which claimed that the Federal Government had directed NAFDAC to suspend all enforcement actions relating to the proposed ban on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle alcoholic products.

Refuting the claim, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the agency remains guided strictly by its statutory mandate and duly communicated government policies.

“The said publication is false, misleading, and does not reflect any official communication received by the Agency from the Federal Government.

“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,” Adeyeye said.

She stressed that any decision affecting national regulatory actions would follow established procedures and be formally conveyed through appropriate government channels.

“Any decision affecting national regulatory actions will be communicated through official government channels,” she added.

Adeyeye reiterated that NAFDAC remains committed to safeguarding public health, ensuring regulatory compliance, and carrying out its responsibilities transparently and in accordance with established laws and due process.

She urged members of the public, industry stakeholders, and the media to disregard the report and rely solely on verified information released through the agency’s official platforms and authorised government communication channels.

The agency also cautioned against the spread of unverified information capable of causing unnecessary public anxiety, economic uncertainty, or misinterpretation of government policy.

NAFDAC maintained that it remains steadfast in its commitment to public health, economic stability, and the national interest.

The regulation of sachet alcohol and small-volume alcoholic beverages has in recent years generated national debate, particularly amid concerns over underage access, substance abuse, and broader public health risks.

In November 2025, the Nigerian Senate  directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other regulatory bodies to enforce without compromise the ban on the packaging of high-strength alcoholic beverages in sachet formats from December 2025.

The lawmakers also made clear that no further extensions would be tolerated, warning that continued lobbying by manufacturers undermines Nigeria’s public health priorities and regulatory integrity.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong on the need to halt any further extension of the phase-out of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachet formats.

In his lead debate during plenary, Senator Ekpeyong reminded his colleagues that NAFDAC, in line with international best practices and after extensive consultations with industry stakeholders, had already announced a phased ban on the importation, manufacture and distribution of alcohol packaged in sachets.

In 2020, SaharaReporters reported that the Nigerian government had begun moves to end the packaging and selling of alcohol in sachet and small bottles.

To reduce availability and curb abuse, effective January 31 2020, producers of alcohol in sachets and small bottles are to reduce production by 50 per cent of capacity prior to January 2020.

The NAFDAC Director-General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, in a statement said the packagings had led to an increase in the abuse of alcohol in the country.