Health Ministry disavows control over NAFDAC enforcement of sachet alcohol ban

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has informed a Federal High Court that it possesses no legal authority to interfere with or halt the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) from enforcing the ban on sachet alcohol.

In a counter-affidavit filed on February 23, 2026, the ministry clarified that NAFDAC is a statutory agency with independent regulatory and enforcement powers derived from the NAFDAC Act.

The ministry emphasized that it is not an enforcement arm of the government and does not control NAFDAC’s operational decisions regarding the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets or PET bottles below 200ml.

The ministry’s statement comes in response to a suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), which sought to prevent federal authorities from granting further extensions or moratoriums on the ban.

SERAP argued that sachet alcohol is a primary driver of alcohol abuse among youth and low-income earners due to its high potency and low cost.

The Health Ministry further confirmed that the Minister has not granted any additional extensions to the moratorium, effectively leaving the enforcement timeline squarely within NAFDAC's jurisdiction.

SERAP is now urging the court to affirm that federal authorities must ensure the nationwide implementation of the prohibition to safeguard public health in accordance with existing regulatory laws.