A coalition of civil society organizations has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to halt the implementation of its ban on sachet alcohol, describing the policy as anti-people and a threat to livelihoods.
The groups staged a protest on Tuesday at NAFDAC’s headquarters, where demonstrators displayed placards bearing various inscriptions condemning the ban.
According to the protesters, the policy would lead to widespread job losses across the production, distribution, and retail value chain of sachet alcohol.
They argued that the ban would disproportionately affect low-income earners and small-scale traders who depend on the sale of sachet alcohol for survival, urging the agency to adopt alternative regulatory measures rather than an outright prohibition.
NAFDAC, however, has maintained its position on the issue.
The Director-General of the agency, Professor Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, recently reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to the ban on alcohol in sachets and small bottles.
She stressed that the agency would not reverse the policy unless directed by legislative or legal authority.
The ban has continued to generate mixed reactions from stakeholders, with civil society groups, traders, and manufacturers calling for dialogue, while the regulatory agency insists the policy is necessary to protect public health.
