Oluwafunbi Bello 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare tells a Federal High Court that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control alone hold legal authority to enforce the ban on sachet alcohol and small-volume containers below 200 millilitres.
In a counter-affidavit dated February 23, 2026, the ministry states that it neither directs nor interferes with NAFDAC’s enforcement decisions, stressing that the agency operates independently under its enabling law.
“NAFDAC derives its powers from Sections 5 and 30 of the NAFDAC Act,” the ministry says, adding that enforcement actions fall entirely within the agency’s statutory mandate.
The filing also dismisses claims of ministerial interference, confirming that the Minister of Health has granted no further extension to the moratorium on the sachet alcohol ban.
The suit, filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, seeks judicial declarations affirming the ban’s validity and injunctions preventing any extension or administrative delay.
SERAP argues that sachet alcohol — cheap, potent and widely accessible — contributes significantly to alcohol abuse among young people and low-income communities.
“Continued delay in enforcement violates Nigeria’s health and regulatory laws,” the organisation contends.
Legal analysts say the case could set a precedent on regulatory independence and public health enforcement in Nigeria.
About the Author
Otamere Gladness 
Oluwatobi Adu 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius