The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has called on the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to exercise restraint over its renewed ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and PET bottles, warning that the move could negatively impact businesses, jobs and the wider Nigerian economy.
MAN said the renewed enforcement is already disrupting the operations of its members in the wines and spirits sector, describing the ban as inimical to the profitable running and survival of affected companies.
In a statement made available to The Nation, the Director-General of MAN, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, said the action contradicts a directive of the Federal Government and would “certainly hurt the Nigerian economy” if allowed to stand.
Ajayi-Kadir warned that the ban threatens the survival of indigenous manufacturers and could lead to widespread job losses across the value chain.
According to him, the policy is counterproductive as it could encourage the influx of illicit, substandard and unregulated products into the market, while also opening the door to smuggled imported alternatives.
“The ban will deny the government of legitimate revenues from these companies and deprive adult consumers with low purchasing power access to the products. The overall impact will be negative on the economy and livelihoods,” he said.
The MAN Director-General noted that NAFDAC’s action contradicts the earlier resolution of the House of Representatives, which, after extensive stakeholder consultations and a public hearing in March 2024, restrained the agency from banning alcoholic beverages in sachets and PET bottles.
He accused the agency of disregarding that resolution and instead relying on a Senate resolution that lacked broad stakeholder engagement, thereby creating confusion among operators faced with conflicting directives.
Ajayi-Kadir disclosed that MAN has since engaged the Senate and expressed confidence that lawmakers would reconsider the matter following further consultations.
He stressed that the introduction of sachet and PET bottle alcohol products was designed to cater to adult consumers with low budgets and not to harm public health, adding that smaller portions could even help discourage excessive consumption.
He further argued that locally produced sachet alcohol is manufactured under hygienic conditions and certified by relevant regulatory agencies, including NAFDAC, warning that a ban would only encourage the spread of unsafe and unregulated alternatives.
The MAN DG also dismissed claims that the products fuel underage drinking, noting that empirical research has challenged such assertions. He added that industry players have invested over N1 billion in nationwide campaigns promoting responsible alcohol consumption and discouraging underage drinking.
Ajayi-Kadir reaffirmed MAN’s support for measures that eliminate unsafe products from the market but insisted that regulatory decisions must be guided by empirical evidence rather than sentiment.
He said MAN remains committed to working with NAFDAC and other government agencies to ensure full compliance with regulations and standards, while appealing to the Federal Government to prevail on NAFDAC to suspend the implementation of the ban in line with existing directives.
