Members of the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE) have occupied the NAFDAC office complex in Isolo, Lagos, to protest what they describe as the agency’s refusal to comply with a Federal Government directive to suspend enforcement of the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets.
The union is demanding that NAFDAC unseal production lines previously shut down, claiming the directive was issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Meanwhile, NAFDAC on Wednesday rejected claims that the Federal Government ordered it to halt enforcement of the ban on sachet and PET-bottled alcohol.
Earlier this month, the agency began implementing a nationwide prohibition on the production and sale of alcohol packaged in sachets and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. However, reports circulated on social media on Wednesday alleged that NAFDAC had been instructed to suspend enforcement.
In a statement signed by its Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC described the reports as “false” and “misleading,” insisting it had received no directive to suspend its regulatory actions.
“NAFDAC operates strictly within its statutory mandate and in line with duly communicated Federal Government policies and directives,” the statement said. “At no time has the Agency received any formal instruction to suspend its regulatory or enforcement activities in respect of sachet alcohol products.”
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to public health and regulatory compliance, stressing that any major policy shift would be formally communicated through official channels.
NAFDAC also urged the public, industry stakeholders and the media to ignore unverified reports and rely solely on information released through its official platforms and authorised government channels. It warned that the spread of false information could cause unnecessary public anxiety, economic uncertainty and misinterpretation of government policy.
“NAFDAC remains steadfast in its commitment to public health, economic stability and the national interest,” the statement added.