NAFDAC speaks on order to suspend sachet alcohol ban

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has dismissed reports claiming that the Federal Government directed it to halt enforcement of regulations on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle alcoholic products.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the agency described the report as false and misleading, stressing that it has not received any official instruction from the Federal Government to suspend its regulatory or enforcement activities.

The claim, attributed to a statement allegedly issued in Abuja by the Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Terrence Kuanum, suggested that the Federal Government had ordered NAFDAC to suspend enforcement actions linked to the proposed ban.

However, NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, clarified that the agency operates strictly within its statutory mandate and in line with formally communicated government policies.

She stated that at no point had NAFDAC received a formal directive to pause its regulatory or enforcement measures concerning sachet alcohol products, adding that any policy decision of national importance would be communicated through official government channels.

Adeyeye reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protecting public health, ensuring compliance with regulations, and carrying out its duties transparently and in accordance with the law.

She also urged the public, industry players, and the media to disregard the report and rely solely on verified information from NAFDAC’s official platforms and authorised government sources.

NAFDAC further warned against the spread of unverified information capable of creating public anxiety, economic uncertainty, or misrepresentation of government policy, noting that it remains focused on public health, economic stability, and the national interest.

The regulation of sachet alcohol and small-sized alcoholic beverages has remained a subject of national debate, largely due to concerns over underage access, substance abuse, and associated public health risks.