Operations at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Lagos office were disrupted on Wednesday after members of a workers’ union blocked the entrance and exits in protest against the agency’s enforcement of a ban on sachet and small-bottle alcohol.
Members of the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE) barricaded the gates of the agency’s Isolo office, preventing staff from entering or leaving the premises.
The protest forced NAFDAC workers to remain outside when they arrived to begin their official duties.
The union said it was protesting NAFDAC’s continued enforcement of the ban on alcoholic drinks sold in sachets and PET bottles below 200 millilitres — a rule meant to protect public health by reducing access to cheap alcohol.
Protesters demanded that the agency immediately unseal factories and production lines affected by the ban, warning that ongoing enforcement could hurt workers and the broader industry.
Some union members also claimed that government offices had directed that enforcement should be paused, but NAFDAC said it had received no official instruction to stop enforcing the ban.
Police later arrived and the barricade was lifted, allowing staff back into the office and restoring access to the site.
NAFDAC resumed enforcing the ban earlier this year after explaining that its rules aim to curb the harmful effects of readily available alcohol on children and young people.
The agency said it has not shut down companies, but has prohibited the sale of alcohol in sachets and very small bottles to protect health.
