Protesters storm NAFDAC Lagos office over sachet alcohol ban

Protesters on Thursday stormed the Lagos office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Isolo, opposing the enforcement of a ban on sachet and small PET bottled alcoholic drinks.

The demonstrators, mostly workers from affected manufacturing companies, arrived in over 10 buses and blocked access to the agency’s premises, carrying placards with messages such as “Don’t Kill Nigeria’s Economy” and “NAFDAC Is After Our Livelihoods.” Security operatives were deployed to maintain order and prevent escalation.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Anthony Michael of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) argued that regulators had not provided empirical evidence showing that children had easy access to sachet alcohol. He said stricter access controls and public education would be more effective than an outright ban.

He warned that manufacturers had invested heavily in the sector and that continued enforcement could threaten millions of jobs and worsen economic conditions.

Government defends ban as health protection measure

NAFDAC Director-General Mojisola Adeyeye had announced in January that the agency would begin enforcing the ban on alcohol packaged in sachets and PET bottles below 200ml, citing public health concerns and the need to protect children and young people from alcohol abuse.

The announcement has triggered protests in Lagos and Abuja, with manufacturers and labour unions demanding dialogue and regulatory alternatives.

NAFDAC Denies Federal Order to Halt Sachet Alcohol Enforcement

Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Health told the Federal High Court that NAFDAC has full legal authority to enforce the ban, stressing that the agency operates independently under its statutory mandate and that no extension of the moratorium on the ban has been granted.