The head of NAFDAC should stop managing the agency as if it were a private business and avoid bringing it into public embarrassment, or else resign, as her actions...
A civil society organization named Stand Up Nigeria has condemned NAFDAC's proposed prohibition of single-serving and small-bottle alcoholic beverages, labeling it as undemocratic and cautioning that it might result in significant economic losses and the loss of numerous jobs.
PREMIUM TIMES stated that Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of NAFDAC, mentioned the decision came after a Senate order directing the agency to implement the ban and completely exclude any possibility of extensions.
The group denounced the proposed restriction during a press briefing held at the Toprank Hotel in Garki, Abuja.
Voicing strong worry and sadness over the directive, the group's leader, Sunday Attah, referred to it as "authoritarian actions and unlawful acts" that are supposedly carried out by Ms. Adeyeye and her colleagues.
The group claimed that the directive conflicts with President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope initiative, which they stated "focuses on economic empowerment and the safeguarding of local industries."
They stated: "We encountered a shocking report in traditional media, television, and other channels, attributed to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), claiming that it will prohibit the manufacturing, selling, and use of alcoholic drinks in sachets and small PET/glass containers (less than 200ml) by 2025."
The strict statement made by the director general, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, along with some members of the Nigerian Senate, stands in clear opposition to the renewed hope initiative led by His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. He came into power with a people-focused development plan, quickly initiating a complete diversification of the country's economy to ensure resources are available for carrying out major projects, as demonstrated by the full deregulation of the Nigerian oil sector downstream.
Undemocratic
The group characterized the anti-drug agency and Senate action as rushed and undemocratic.
They observed that NAFDAC did not involve key stakeholders and industry participants to achieve a mutual agreement, even though decisions had been made previously during a meeting with the Federal Ministry of Health and members of the House of Representatives.
Additionally, the group voiced worry that the prohibition seemed to be based on claimed resolutions approved by the Senate, which it stated "undermined proper consultation and agreement."
A branch of government that is typically expected to advocate for the interests of all Nigerians, directing NAFDAC to implement the unlawful ban on December 31, 2025, without consulting the other party. We strongly believe that the claimed Senate resolutions were approved at the request of NAFDAC during its meeting on Thursday, November 6, 2025, without considering the ongoing review of the same issue by members of the House of Representatives.
"Meanwhile, a directive from the Ministry of Health, a government supervisory body constitutionally tasked with overseeing NAFDAC, for a one-year extension is still under discussion. This includes the consideration and validation of a draft National Alcohol Policy by stakeholders, which should have been addressed prior to any significant official statement from a government department," said Stand up Nigeria.
Resolutions
Furthermore, they mentioned that the directive conflicted with the decisions made by a high-level committee of interested parties, who, in October 2025, approved the National Alcohol Policy along with several important suggestions.
They mentioned that the committee's suggestions involved creating coordinated action plans across different sectors and putting into place a strong and practical enforcement approach by police departments.
As per the group, the suggestions also included the creation of authorized alcohol shops and vendors throughout all Local Government Areas across the country, along with increased oversight and monitoring to guarantee full adherence.
They also stated that the committee decided that NAFDAC, the FCCPC, and other pertinent organizations must guarantee product content and safety quality control.
Emphasizing alternative solutions, the group stated, "Regulation of products by appropriate authorities, oversight, and awareness initiatives regarding the risks of underage alcohol consumption and its sale in motor parks."
Initiatives aimed at educating students about the risks and negative consequences of alcohol misuse are planned to take place in secondary schools throughout the Country.
They mentioned that they felt the suggestions provided a more open procedure compared to the recent declaration of a supposed complete prohibition.
Alcohol consumption
Furthermore, the group mentioned that multiple independent government studies had rejected the baseless and unconfirmed allegations regarding underage alcohol consumption.
They also characterized the ban order as unjust and intolerable, pointing out that NAFDAC breached the conditions of a broader procedure that had been arranged by its overseeing authority, the Ministry of Health.
They observed, "The industry has taken additional steps, despite the survey's findings, by launching several initiatives aimed at promoting responsible drinking to prevent underage misuse, which has already resulted in industry players spending an impressive amount of over a billion Naira on advertising in major media outlets throughout the country and has proven highly effective in reducing such abuse among minors."
Our stance is that NAFDAC should have shared its views with the Senate Committee together with the Ministry during the validation process, instead of skipping these procedures and directly engaging the National Assembly without allowing other stakeholders a chance for a fair hearing.
Stand Up Nigeria added that the consequences of the statement were too significant to be overlooked.
The group characterized the regulation as financially detrimental for a government aiming to increase its income to secure additional resources for infrastructure projects.
They cautioned that if the regulation remained in effect, it would cause an economic disruption of staggering magnitude throughout the country.
They mentioned that the decision would have a significant impact on Nigeria's emerging economy.
This involves the loss of more than ₦1.9 trillion in investments from local businesses, the large-scale dismissal of over 500,000 direct workers, and approximately 5 million indirect positions linked to contract-based work.
"Marketing and other logistics;
decline in the use of production capacity and manufacturing, which recent quarterly economic indicators show is slowly improving, due to income generated by the alcohol industry within the food and beverage sector; and the disappearance of local businesses that could progressively erase the growth of local entrepreneurship in the economy.
Action
Nevertheless, they urged Ali Pate, the minister and coordinator for health and social welfare, to support the draft of the approved Nigeria National Alcohol Policy along with its multi-sectoral implementation plan.
That the Senate should conduct itself with dignity, fairness, and respect for everyone in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that they pledged to support, and re-examine the issue by organizing a consultation involving stakeholders; either through public hearings or focused discussions with appropriate industry representatives in the alcoholic beverages sector, as thoroughly carried out by the House of Representatives.
They further stated that Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, the NAFDAC Director General, should stop managing the agency as if it were a private business and avoid bringing it into public embarrassment, or resign, as her actions and continued presence in office present a significant risk to the successful execution of the President's renewed hope initiative.
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