At a press conference in Abuja on Friday, the group said it was alarmed by claims attributed to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) indicating that the ban was being enforced based on resolutions of the Senate. According to the organisation, such action contradicts an earlier consultative process coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Health, which culminated in the development and validation of a National Alcohol Policy.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Comrade Oluoha Godwin Chukwudi argued that the reported enforcement announcement, allegedly credited to the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, undermines extensive stakeholder engagements that involved industry operators, regulators and lawmakers.
He recalled that the regulation of sachet alcohol had been thoroughly deliberated at a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Ministry of Health, with members of the House of Representatives in attendance. That engagement, he said, produced key resolutions, including a one-year implementation extension and the adoption of a multi-sectoral framework under a National Alcohol Policy.
According to Chukwudi, any outright enforcement of a ban runs counter to those jointly agreed resolutions and bypasses the constitutional supervisory role of the Ministry of Health over NAFDAC. He described the reported development as surprising, noting that the earlier process was designed to ensure broad consensus and balanced regulation.
The group also questioned claims that sachet alcohol consumption is a major driver of underage drinking, stating that several independent studies had reportedly challenged such conclusions. It added that industry players had invested significantly in responsible-drinking initiatives, including nationwide media campaigns valued at over N1 billion, aimed at discouraging underage consumption.
Concerned Citizens for Change warned that enforcing the ban could have severe economic implications, including the potential loss of more than N1.9 trillion in investments, widespread job losses affecting over 500,000 direct workers, and disruption to an estimated five million indirect jobs across the alcohol value chain.
The organisation cautioned that such outcomes could further weaken manufacturing activity and stifle local entrepreneurship at a time when the economy is showing only modest signs of recovery.
As part of its recommendations, the group called on the Minister and Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare to formally endorse and implement the validated National Alcohol Policy and its multi-sectoral approach. It also urged the Senate to reopen deliberations on the matter through a fresh and comprehensive stakeholder consultation, similar to the process previously undertaken by the House of Representatives.
In addition, the group appealed to the Senate to withdraw any directive authorising enforcement of the ban and to direct NAFDAC to suspend implementation pending the full rollout of the National Alcohol Policy.
The press conference concluded with a call for renewed dialogue, transparency and strict adherence to due process, as stakeholders seek a balanced resolution to the controversy surrounding the regulation of sachet alcohol in Nigeria.