The civil society group, Stand Up Nigeria, has vehemently condemned the recent pronouncement by the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, and the Nigerian Senate, to ban the production, distribution, and consumption of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small-volume bottles (below 200ml) by December 2025.
In a press conference held this morning, the group’s Convener, Tabuko Kennedy (FCT Center), accused the NAFDAC DG of “high-handedness and illegalities,” stating the action is “draconic” and sharply contrasts with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “renewed hope agenda.”
Hasty and Undemocratic Action
Mr. Kennedy expressed “rude shock” at the news, criticizing NAFDAC for its “hasty and undemocratic nature” and failure to engage critical stakeholders and industry players.
”Our fuss with this said publication lies in its hasty and undemocratic nature. The agency in question has failed to engage critical stakeholders and industry players to find a common ground in line with the resolutions reached at a parley with the Federal Ministry of Health and members of the House of Representatives,” Mr. Kennedy stated.
The group further constrained that the ban, allegedly pursuant to Senate resolutions passed on Thursday, November 6, 2025, was done “without hearing from the second party.” Stand Up Nigeria suspects the resolutions were passed “at the behest of NAFDAC,” bypassing ongoing deliberations by the House of Representatives and a one-year extension directive from the supervising Ministry of Health.
Stand Up Nigeria highlighted that the matter was recently addressed by a high-powered committee of stakeholders who validated the National Alcohol Policy in October 2025. This process, described as “more transparent,” resulted in key recommendations, including:
Multi-sectoral Action plans and robust enforcement.
Establishment of licensed liquor stores/outlets in LGAs.
Increased monitoring, surveillance, and checks by NAFDAC, FCCPC, and others.
Extensive monitoring and enlightenment campaigns on the dangers of underage consumption and sales in motor parks/schools.
The group noted that the industry has already spent over N1 billion on campaigns to discourage underage abuse, dismissing the basis for the ban as “unfounded and untested statement of abuse by the minors.”
Economic Disaster Looms
The most critical concern raised by Stand Up Nigeria is the dire economic implications of the outright ban, which they deem “unfair and unacceptable.”
If allowed to stand, the ban is projected to cause an economic dislocation of unimaginable proportion, potentially leading to:
Loss of over N1.9 trillion investment by indigenous Nigerian companies.
Mass retrenchment of over 500,000 direct employees and approximately 5 million indirect jobs.
Reduction in capacity utilization and manufacturing growth.
The gradual obliteration of local entrepreneurship development.
To avert this crisis, Stand Up Nigeria presented the following prayers:
Endorsement of Policy: That the Honourable Minister and Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare kindly endorse the draft copy of the validated Nigeria National Alcohol Policy and its multi-sectoral implementation framework.
Senate Revisit: That the Senate revisit the matter by calling for a stakeholders’ consultation through public hearings or focus meetings with relevant industry players.
NAFDAC DG’s Resignation: That Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, the NAFDAC DG, should “desist from further running the agency like a private business enterprise and subjecting it to public ridicule or resign,” as her actions “pose serious threat” to the President’s agenda.
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