The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is facing intense backlash over its decision to enforce a total ban on alcoholic beverages sold in sachets and small-volume bottles by December 2025. This week, a civil society group, Stand Up Nigeria, sharply criticised the directive, calling it an “illegal” and “undemocratic” move that threatens massive economic fallout.
The group’s condemnation came during a press conference in Abuja, where Sunday Attah, the convener, described the planned ban as an act of high-handedness, particularly since NAFDAC claims the decision follows a direct Senate directive to enforce the ban without further extensions. Stand Up Nigeria argued that this legislative action was taken without engaging critical stakeholders and industry players, unlike the more consultative approach recently adopted by the House of Representatives.
“We read with rude shock that NAFDAC purportedly placed a ban,” Attah stated, arguing that the decision directly contradicts President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises the protection of local industries and economic empowerment.
The planned prohibition threatens to trigger an economic dislocation of staggering proportions across the nation, according to the civil society group. The ban targets a popular product format that allows low-income adults to purchase regulated alcohol in affordable, smaller portions, serving a significant segment of the market. Manufacturers and advocacy groups, including the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), have strongly backed this position, highlighting that sachet packaging is merely an innovation driven by Nigerian consumers’ low purchasing power.
If the ban is allowed to stand, the direct economic consequences could include the loss of over ₦1.9 trillion in indigenous investments and the mass retrenchment of more than 500,000 direct employees, alongside an estimated five million indirect jobs tied to marketing, logistics, and the extensive value chain. Moreover, the group warned that eliminating NAFDAC-certified local producers will likely yield the market to illicit and smuggled foreign brands, creating an unregulated black market that is more dangerous to consumers and costs the government vital tax revenue.
The group is now appealing to Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, the Minister and Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, to endorse the validated Nigeria National Alcohol Policy. They argue that this comprehensive policy, which focuses on regulation, access control, and public education, should be implemented instead of a blanket prohibition that sacrifices jobs and legitimate indigenous businesses. Stand Up Nigeria also urged the Senate to rescind its order and call for a stakeholders’ consultation to ensure fairness and adherence to democratic process.
