Food and beverage Workers occupy NAFDAC Lagos office over sachet alcohol ban

Members of the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE) have occupied the NAFDAC office in Isolo, Lagos, protesting the agency’s refusal to lift the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets. The union claims the action contradicts a directive reportedly issued by the Federal Government.

The protesters are demanding that NAFDAC unseal production lines that were shut down, citing instructions allegedly from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the National Security Adviser.

However, NAFDAC dismissed these claims on Wednesday, stating that no federal directive has instructed it to halt enforcement of the ban on sachet and PET-bottled alcohol. The agency began implementing the nationwide prohibition earlier this month.

In a statement signed by its Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC described circulating reports as “false” and “misleading,” emphasizing that the agency has acted solely within its statutory mandate and in accordance with official government policies.

“NAFDAC has not received any formal directive to suspend its regulatory or enforcement activities concerning sachet alcohol,” the statement read. The agency stressed its commitment to public health and regulatory compliance, noting that major national regulatory decisions would always be communicated through official channels.

NAFDAC also urged the public, industry stakeholders, and the media to rely only on verified information from official platforms, warning that unverified reports could cause “unnecessary public anxiety, economic uncertainty, or misinterpretation of government policy.”

“NAFDAC remains steadfast in its commitment to public health, economic stability, and national interest,” the statement concluded.