Federal govt launches alcohol policy, targets harmful use, illicit trade

The federal government has launched a five-year national alcohol policy aimed at reducing alcohol related harm while promoting responsible industry practices and protecting government revenue.

The Nigeria Alcohol Policy and its Multisectoral Implementation Plan, covering 2026 to 2030, was launched on Thursday in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, said the policy was designed to address alcohol as both a public health and national development issue.

Mr Pate, who was represented at the launch by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, said alcohol contributes to manufacturing, employment, agriculture and domestic value chains, while ethanol has pharmaceutical, laboratory and other industrial applications.

He, however, said harmful alcohol use contributes to diseases, injuries, violence, mental health challenges, financial hardship and loss of productivity.

Alcohol consumption

According to Mr Pate, the latest available World Health Organisation data put Nigeria’s total alcohol consumption at 3.2 litres of pure alcohol per person aged 15 years and above in 2024.

He also linked harmful alcohol use to road safety concerns, citing Federal Road Safety Corps data which recorded 9,570 road crashes and 5,421 deaths nationwide in 2024.

He said driving under the influence of alcohol was recognised as one of the contributors to road traffic incidents.

“These are not merely numbers. They represent lives lost, families affected, livelihoods disrupted and productive years taken away,” he said.

Mr Pate said the policy aligns with the administration of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and its focus on improving human capital and building a healthier and more productive population.

He said the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative also provides strategic direction for strengthening prevention, health services, governance and measurable health outcomes.

Four priority areas

Mr Pate said the alcohol policy was built around four key areas: harm reduction and health promotion; industrial and economic development; multisectoral coordination and governance; and monitoring, evaluation, accountability, research and learning.

“At the heart of the policy is harm reduction and health promotion. We have a responsibility to prevent avoidable harm,” he said.

On the role of the industry, he said the government was not seeking to undermine legitimate businesses but wanted an alcohol industry that operates responsibly and meets standards for safety, quality and traceability.

Illicit alcohol

Mr Pate noted that illicit alcohol remained a major challenge, citing industry estimates that about 40 per cent of spirits and wines were illicit or unrecorded.

He said the illicit trade was estimated to cost the government more than N428 billion in annual revenue.

According to him, tackling illicit alcohol would help protect public health, government revenue and legitimate businesses that comply with regulations.

He said the policy would require a “whole of government” approach because alcohol related issues cut across health, industry, finance, trade, regulation, transport and communities.

“Alcohol cuts across health, industry, finance, trade, regulation, transport, communities and other areas of national life,” he said.

He added that responsibilities for standards, product regulation, taxation, border control and enforcement were distributed among several government institutions.

NAFDAC pledges support

The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mojisola Adeyeye, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to implementing the policy through science-based regulation, monitoring and surveillance.

Mrs Adeyeye commended the health ministry and other parties involved in developing the policy.

She also announced that NAFDAC had recently reached an agreement with manufacturers to end the production of alcohol in sachets.

The Permanent Secretary of the health ministry, Daju Kachollom, said the launch was a milestone in the government’s efforts to strengthen governance and promote evidence-based alcohol regulation.

She urged concerned parties, including traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations and the media, to support implementation of the policy.

Other partners represented at the launch included the Federal Ministries of Industry, Trade and Investment; Finance; Environment; Education; and Youth Development, as well as the Nigeria Police Force, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, International Society of Substance Use Professionals and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

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Mr Pate said the success of the policy would ultimately be measured by its implementation and impact, rather than its launch.

“Our objective, therefore, is not simply to have a national alcohol policy on paper by 2030. It is to have a policy that has translated into healthier people, safer communities, more responsible industry practices and stronger institutions,” he said.

He called on governments at all levels, regulators, industry, researchers, civil society organisations and Nigerians to play their respective roles in implementing the policy.

“Let us move from policy to implementation, from implementation to measurable results, and from results to lasting improvements in the lives of Nigerians,” he added.