The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) has issued a directive halting all enforcement actions on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control’s (NAFDAC) planned ban on sachet alcoholic drinks and small-volume PET bottle spirits, pending comprehensive consultations and a final government decision.
This intervention follows mounting pressure from the House of Representatives and concerns over the socioeconomic fallout from the policy originally set for December 2025 implementation.
In a statement dated Monday and signed by Special Adviser to the SGF on Public Affairs, Terrence Kuanum, the OSGF mandated an immediate pause on all related activities. The statement explicitly reads: “directs that all actions, decisions, or enforcement measures relating to the proposed sachet alcohol ban be suspended pending the conclusion of consultations and the issuance of a final directive by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.”
It further clarified that “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 until a final decision is formally communicated.”
The OSGF emphasized its role as Chairman of the Cabinet Secretariat in coordinating a balanced review process.
The suspension was triggered by a November 13, 2025, letter from the House Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control, signed by Deputy Chairman Uchenna Okonkwo (also referred to as Uchenna Harris Okonkwo), protesting NAFDAC’s defiance of prior National Assembly resolutions against hasty enforcement.
Earlier, on December 1, OSGF Permanent Secretary (General Services) Mohammed Danjuma wrote to Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Professor Muhammad Pate and NAFDAC Director-General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, stating: “In reference to the attached letter dated November 13 from the House of Reps Committee on the above subject (Re: NAFDAC to enforce sachet alcohol ban from December 2025), we request your comments to enable the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to take an informed decision. While we accept your prompt response, please accept the warm regards of the SGF.”
The House urged suspension for broader stakeholder input on economic impacts like job losses among manufacturers and traders.
The OSGF reassured Nigerians that public health priorities, including youth alcohol abuse, remain central, alongside legislative resolutions, industry viability, and national interests. It noted that “all relevant legislative resolutions, economic implications, public health concerns, and broader national interest considerations are being carefully examined to ensure a balanced, lawful, and well-coordinated outcome. The public will be duly informed once a final position has been reached.”
NAFDAC’s Prof. Adeyeye had defended the ban as essential to curb misuse by youths, drivers, and vulnerable groups, rooted in high alcohol content (around 30%) and easy access leading to health risks like liver disease and accidents.
The policy originates from a 2018 Memorandum of Understanding among NAFDAC, Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), and Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers, granting a five-year phase-out moratorium ending in 2023, extended to December 2024, then 2025 amid protests over stock clearance and jobs.
NAFDAC began partial enforcement in February 2024 but faced pushback, including a temporary ministerial lift clarified as expiring December 31, 2025.
Therefore, the Senate, via a November motion by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South), endorsed the December 31, 2025, ban without further delays, warning that “certain manufacturers are lobbying for another extension, thereby undermining the regulatory process and jeopardising public health” and that Nigeria “cannot continue to expose our youths to cheap, easily accessible alcohol that destroys lives and endangers public safety.”
Ekpenyong stressed: “The decision is rooted in scientific evidence and public health considerations. We cannot continue to sacrifice the well-being of Nigerians for short-term economic gain. The health of a nation is its true wealth,” echoing Prof. Adeyeye.
Conversely, the House in March 2024 resolved for suspension pending socioeconomic reassessment, a position reiterated in its latest intervention.
This SGF pause heightens tensions, with manufacturers relieved but health advocates wary as Abuja weighs the next steps.
