By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The Federal Government has launched the Nigeria Alcohol Policy and its Multisectoral Implementation Plan 2026–2030, introducing a national framework to curb alcohol-related harm, strengthen regulation and promote responsible practices across the industry.
The policy was launched in Abuja on Thursday, 27 August, 2026, with the government stressing that alcohol-related challenges require coordinated interventions across the health, economic, regulatory and governance sectors.
Representing the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, the Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, said the country could no longer tackle alcohol-related harm through fragmented interventions, but required clear responsibilities, inter-agency coordination and accountability.
She said the policy was designed to protect the health and wellbeing of Nigerians while supporting responsible industry and preserving the legitimate economic value of the alcohol sector.
The policy is anchored on four pillars: harm reduction and health promotion; industrial and economic development; multisectoral coordination and governance; and monitoring, evaluation and accountability.
It provides for public education, responsible marketing, age and access controls, as well as access to screening, treatment and rehabilitation. It also promotes safety, quality and traceability across the alcohol value chain.
Pate cited the latest available World Health Organisation data, which put Nigeria’s total alcohol consumption at 3.2 litres of pure alcohol per person aged 15 and above in 2024.
He also referenced Federal Road Safety Corps figures showing that 9,570 road traffic crashes were recorded nationwide in 2024, resulting in 5,421 deaths, with driving under the influence identified as a contributing factor.
The minister further cited industry estimates from the Spirits and Wines Association of Nigeria, based on a 2024 Euromonitor survey, which indicated that illicit spirits and wines accounted for about 40 per cent of the market.
The estimate, he said, represented an annual government revenue loss of more than N428 billion.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, represented by the Director, Food and Drugs Services, Dr Olufowubi-Yusuf Adeola, described the launch as a major milestone in the ministry’s efforts to promote public health, strengthen governance and advance sustainable national development through evidence-based alcohol regulation.
She urged stakeholders to translate the policy’s objectives into concrete action and called on traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations and the media to support its implementation.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, commended the Federal Government for providing a clear policy direction on alcohol control.
Adeyeye reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to science-based regulation, effective monitoring and surveillance, as well as robust engagement with stakeholders.
She also reiterated the ban on the sale of alcohol in sachets and containers of less than 200 millilitres.
The launch brought together representatives of the Federal Ministries of Finance and Industry, Trade and Investment, the Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, among others.
The stakeholders pledged to work together to ensure effective implementation of the 2026–2030 plan.
The Federal Government said the policy aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, while situating Nigeria’s response within the African Union Agenda 2063, the Sustainable Development Goals and relevant WHO frameworks.
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare reaffirmed its commitment to working with government institutions, industry stakeholders and civil society organisations to translate the policy from a framework into measurable results.
