Workers in the food and beverage sector on Thursday staged a protest at the Lagos office of NAFDAC, demanding a halt to the enforcement of the sachet alcohol ban and the reopening of sealed factories and depots. The demonstrators, mostly from affected distilleries, accused the agency of ignoring earlier interventions said to have come from the SGF and the National Security Adviser.
The protesters, under the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association, carried placards and chanted solidarity songs as they called for the release of products allegedly seized during recent enforcement operations. They warned that continued clampdowns were threatening jobs, deepening economic hardship and undermining the welfare of their members.
Security presence around the Lagos office was increased, but there were no reports of violence and mediation efforts between the union and NAFDAC were ongoing.
In a swift response, NAFDAC denied receiving any fresh directive from the Federal Government ordering it to suspend enforcement of the ban on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET alcoholic drinks. Director General Prof Mojisola Adeyeye described media reports suggesting such an order as false and misleading.
The agency said it is continuing its regulatory and enforcement activities in line with existing laws and has not been formally asked to stop. It urged the public and industry stakeholders to rely only on information issued through official NAFDAC and government channels and warned that unverified reports could fuel anxiety and economic uncertainty.
NAFDAC also insisted that its Lagos office was not shut down by the protest. It said staff remained at work and operations were not disrupted, stressing that the protest took place outside the premises and did not paralyse administrative or regulatory functions.
Adeyeye added that the agency is evaluating non compliant sachet alcohol and small PET products amid rising concerns about abuse among minors. She reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to protecting public health and said enforcement of the ban remains in force.
The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation later clarified that no new directive had been issued to NAFDAC on the ban. Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the SGF, Terrence Kuanam, explained that a statement widely circulated this week was an old document from December 2025 that resurfaced due to a communication mix up.
Kuanam said the OSGF had written to the Health Ministry and NAFDAC in November 2025 to seek their positions on the policy. While the ministry has replied, NAFDAC is yet to do so, and the SGF will not take a final decision until the agency submits its formal response.
He recalled that the earlier intervention by the SGF and the NSA was aimed at balancing public health goals with economic stability, particularly around employment and informal distribution networks. He noted that a harmonised framework, including a fully operational National Alcohol Policy, is still required before any conclusive government position on the sachet alcohol ban is announced.
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