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NECA Urges Immediate Halt to NAFDAC’s Renewed Enforcement of Sachet Alcohol Ban
The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has strongly criticized the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for resuming enforcement of the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small PET bottles, calling it a “serious regulatory misstep” that threatens jobs, investments, and Nigeria’s regulatory credibility.
In a statement signed by NECA Director General Wale-Smatt Oyerinde, the employers’ body highlighted that the ongoing crackdown contradicts a December 15, 2025, directive from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) suspending all enforcement actions pending further consultations.
It also disregards a March 14, 2024, resolution by the House of Representatives urging restraint and inclusive stakeholder engagement.
NECA emphasized that the enforcement is already disrupting legitimate businesses, jeopardizing thousands of jobs across the wines and spirits value chain—including manufacturing, packaging, distribution, retail, and agriculture—and eroding investor confidence amid economic challenges such as high operating costs and currency pressures.
While affirming strong support for protecting minors, removing unsafe products, and advancing public health, NECA argued that the current blanket approach is flawed.
It disproportionately affects compliant, NAFDAC-registered manufacturers whose products underwent rigorous testing, registration, and revalidation processes. These products comply with international alcohol-by-volume (ABV) standards for spirits, with clear labeling and warnings restricting consumption to adults over 18.
Oyerinde stressed that underage access stems from enforcement gaps at the retail level—such as weak age verification and monitoring—rather than packaging formats. He advocated for smarter, evidence-based measures, including stricter retailer licensing, compliance checks, public education on responsible drinking, and intensified crackdowns on illicit narcotics and unregistered substances, which pose greater dangers to youth.
The statement noted that sachet and small-pack formats address affordability for low-income adult consumers in Nigeria’s economy, where daily small purchases are common.
Banning them risks shifting demand to unregulated, informal alternatives, potentially worsening public health risks while shrinking the formal economy and government revenue.
NECA also addressed environmental concerns over plastic waste, suggesting they be tackled through broader waste management, recycling, and extended producer responsibility policies across industries, rather than selective product bans that conflate environmental issues with product safety.
The association rejected any notion of opposing regulation, instead calling for science-driven, proportionate, and rule-of-law-based policies. It demanded an immediate suspension of enforcement in line with the SGF’s directive and a return to structured dialogue involving regulators, industry, public health experts, and consumers to develop balanced solutions.
“Nigeria deserves regulation that safeguards public health while preserving livelihoods, investment, and respect for due process,” Oyerinde concluded.
“Policies ignoring science, economic realities, and regulatory coherence risk causing more harm than good.
“NECA, established in 1957, serves as the umbrella body for organized private-sector employers in Nigeria, advocating for policies that foster a harmonious business environment, productivity, and prosperity.
Another batch of Nigerians repatriated from South Africa has arrived in Lagos.
Eighty-three distressed citizens — comprising 58 adults and 25 children — returned aboard South African Airways flight SA060.
The returnees are currently undergoing biometric clearance under the supervision of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM). This marks the first repatriation exercise conducted by commercial flight, following seven earlier batches that arrived on chartered aircraft.
Authorities say the returnees will complete the necessary documentation before reuniting with their families.
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan as the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, with effect from August 27, 2026.
Mr. Enitan succeeds Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who is due to retire from the Federal Civil Service upon attaining the statutory retirement age of 60.
A native of Osun State, Mr. Enitan is the most senior Permanent Secretary in the Federal Civil Service. He has served as Permanent Secretary for seven years and seven months, with postings at the Ministry of Police Affairs, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the Office of the Vice President. He is currently the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education.
He brings considerable institutional experience and a deep understanding of the workings of the Federal Civil Service to his new role.
President Tinubu expressed profound appreciation to Mrs. Walson-Jack for her distinguished service to the nation and for the reforms, impact, and innovations recorded in the Civil Service during her tenure. The President wished her a fulfilling and successful life in retirement and conveyed the nation’s gratitude for her years of dedicated and impactful public service.
The President charged the incoming Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to consolidate the reforms and innovations already underway, deepen professionalism and efficiency across the service, and build a more effective and responsive Civil Service capable of delivering on the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
President Tinubu further urged Mr. Enitan to lead a Civil Service that is professional, merit-driven, accountable, innovative, and responsive to the needs and aspirations of Nigerians.
Born on December 12, 1966, Mr. Enitan had his secondary education at Ajibode Grammar School, Ibadan, and the College of Arts and Science, Ile-Ife. He graduated from the University of Lagos in 1988 with a B.Sc. in Finance and Banking. In 2015, he obtained an M.Sc. in Public Policy Analysis from Nasarawa State University, Lafia.
Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a move to decriminalise attempted suicide, marking a major shift from treating people in psychological distress as offenders to recognising them as individuals in need of care.
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Pate, disclosed that the amendment to the Mental Health Act will now be forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration.
Attempted suicide remains a criminal offence under Nigeria’s Criminal and Penal Codes.
Pate made the announcement after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting.
The Council also approved an executive bill to establish a National Centre for Oral Health.
In further health sector decisions, FEC endorsed major upgrades at the National Hospital, Abuja, including modular clinics, a high-end wing and a Neuroscience Institute. It also approved a ₦300 billion National Cancer Research and Treatment Centre, expected to be completed within 36 months.
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