The Federal Government has introduced a new national policy and implementation framework aimed at regulating the production, distribution, marketing and consumption of alcohol in Nigeria over the next five years.
The Nigeria Alcohol Policy and its Multisectoral Implementation Plan 2026–2030 were unveiled on Thursday in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Ms Daju Kachollom, said the policy was designed to strike a balance between the economic benefits of the alcohol industry and the need to safeguard public health.
Pate noted that legitimate alcohol-producing businesses contributed to employment, livelihoods and economic activities across different sectors.
However, he warned that harmful alcohol consumption, alongside the spread of illicit and poorly regulated products, continued to create serious health and socioeconomic challenges for individuals, families and communities.
He listed some of the consequences as non-communicable diseases, road crashes, interpersonal and gender-based violence, mental health problems, loss of household income and declining productivity.
According to the minister, the new policy provides a coordinated national framework for maximising the legitimate economic value of the alcohol industry while reducing alcohol-related harm.
“This approach is firmly aligned with the overarching goal of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare: to save lives, protect Nigerians from both physical and financial hardship, and produce health.
“The significance of the Nigeria Alcohol Policy lies precisely in its capacity to advance these objectives. Every preventable alcohol-related injury or death is a life that must be protected.
“Every household pushed into financial difficulty because of illness or injury is a burden we must seek to prevent,” Pate said.
He explained that the policy would be implemented through four major pillars: harm reduction and health promotion; industrial and economic development; multisectoral coordination and governance; and monitoring, evaluation, accountability, research and learning.
The minister said the pillars would support preventive measures and public awareness campaigns, responsible business practices, stronger regulation and enforcement, as well as better access to alcohol screening, treatment and rehabilitation.
He added that the framework would promote the collection and application of reliable data to strengthen implementation while taking into account the social and economic conditions that influence people’s wellbeing.
Pate stressed that protecting public health should remain central to the implementation of the policy, calling for increased community-based education, responsible alcohol marketing and strict enforcement of age and access restrictions.
He also advocated the integration of alcohol screening, treatment and rehabilitation services into Nigeria’s healthcare system.
According to him, the policy is consistent with Nigeria’s commitments under Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goals 3, 8, 9 and 11.
He further said the framework aligned with relevant global and regional alcohol-control guidelines developed by the World Health Organization.
The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the policy formed part of Nigeria’s wider health and socioeconomic reform programme.
Adeyeye said the framework reaffirmed the country’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, especially those focused on health and wellbeing, sustainable industrial development, and the creation of safe and resilient communities.
“The Nigerian Alcohol Policy presents a role of national strength needed to balance between the protection of public health, including societal well-being.
“It establishes the required guidance for the production, distribution, marketing, and consumption of alcohol within a regulated environment.
“It prioritises harm reduction, especially among young people in Nigeria, consumer safety and the interests of the relevant industry,” Adeyeye said.
She said NAFDAC would continue to support efforts to build a healthier and safer society through evidence-based regulation, monitoring and surveillance, improved food-control systems and collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
“NAFDAC is already doing that. We signed an undertaking with manufacturers two weeks ago that there will no longer be alcohol in 200 Milligram or less than that.
“On this note, I wish to congratulate all stakeholders who played various significant roles in building the Nigerian Alcohol Policy and its multisectoral implementation plan, which is being launched today,” Adeyeye said.
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