Manufacturers Protest as FG Announces Date for Sachet, PET Bottle Alcohol Ban
- MAN has raised an alarm over the decision by NAFDAC to ban sachets and small PET alcohol bottles
- The ban is set to take effect from December 31, and MAN said it could threaten over 500,000 jobs and investments.
- The association urges the Senate to rescind the ban, arguing that regulation, not prohibition
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The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has raised concerns over the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control’s (NAFDAC) decision to enforce an outright ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small PET bottles by December 31.
The association warned that the move could put more than 500,000 jobs at risk and wipe out over N1.9 trillion in investments.
Source: Twitter
The directive followed a resolution reportedly passed by the Senate on November 6, 2025, supporting the total ban.
MAN appeals NAFDAC ban on sachet alcohol
Segun Ajayi-Kadir, Director-General of MAN, said the decision was “deeply concerning” and inconsistent with the position of the House of Representatives, which had previously called for further consultation among stakeholders.
He explained that the earlier directive for a one-year extension by the Ministry of Health should have been considered before any major pronouncement by another arm of government.
Ajayi-Kadir said:
“The Senate should have held a stakeholders’ consultation, either through a public hearing or focused meetings with relevant players in the alcohol beverage industry.
“That was the route painstakingly followed by the House of Representatives.”
He noted that an enlarged committee made up of industry stakeholders, NAFDAC, and the Ministry of Health had in October, validated the National Alcohol Policy, which recommended a multi-sectoral approach, tighter law enforcement, and public awareness campaigns to discourage underage drinking rather than an outright ban.
MAN described as unfounded claims that sachet alcohol fuels underage consumption, arguing that independent research commissioned by government agencies had dismissed such assertions.
Ajayi-Kadir said the industry had already invested over N1 billion in responsible drinking campaigns across media platforms to discourage abuse., Punch reports.
Source: Facebook
Man shares consequences of ban
The association further warned that enforcing the ban would cause major job losses, disrupt manufacturing operations, and harm Nigeria’s fragile economy, the Sun reports
Ajayi-Kadir said:
“This decision is unfair and counterproductive. “It risks destroying indigenous businesses, reducing capacity utilisation, and handing the market over to smugglers and foreign brands that are harder to regulate.”
He added that sachet packaging was introduced to serve adults with low purchasing power, offering smaller, affordable portions that could help reduce excessive consumption.
MAN further cautioned that banning regulated sachet products could drive consumers toward unregulated, illicit beverages that pose health risks.
Ajayi-Kadir said:
“Once a product is not illegal, the sustainable way to manage access is through effective regulation, not prohibition."
UK warns Nigeria about deadly alcoholic drinks
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has cautioned Nigeria and seven other countries over rising cases of methanol poisoning linked to counterfeit alcoholic drinks.
The revised advisory highlights increasing global concern over the rise of toxic, methanol-contaminated alcoholic drinks, which have been linked to several fatalities in different countries.
The alert comes after multiple reported deaths, including a case involving tourists in Southeast Asia last year.
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Source: Legit.ng
