The Federal Government has directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to suspend all enforcement actions related to the proposed ban on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle alcoholic products.

The government also ordered the agency to immediately stop sealing factories and warehouses over the issue.

The directive was announced on Wednesday in Abuja in a statement by the Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Terrence Kuanum.

Kuanum said the decision followed a joint intervention by the Office of the SGF and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), which raised concerns about the security implications of continued enforcement without a fully implemented National Alcohol Policy.

“Accordingly, all actions, decisions, or enforcement measures relating to the ongoing ban on sachet alcohol are to be suspended pending the final consultations and implementation of the National Alcohol Policy and the issuance of a final directive,” the statement said.

Although the National Alcohol Policy has been signed by the Federal Ministry of Health in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive, the government insisted that NAFDAC must refrain from further enforcement until the policy is fully operational and additional guidance is issued.

The statement noted that ongoing factory shutdowns, warehouse sealing and what it described as a “de facto ban” were already causing economic disruptions and posing security risks, particularly through their impact on jobs, supply chains and informal distribution networks.

Kuanum said the position reinforces an earlier directive issued by the SGF’s office in December 2025, which suspended enforcement actions pending consultations. He also referenced a November 13, 2025 letter from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control, raising concerns over NAFDAC’s proposed actions and citing existing National Assembly resolutions.

The government said it is reviewing legislative resolutions, public health considerations, economic implications and broader national interest factors. It assured Nigerians and industry stakeholders that a final decision would be communicated after further consultations and inter-agency coordination.