Director-General, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Segun Ajayi-Kadir, said the recent actions of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), which have needlessly disrupted businesses in the Wines and Spirits sector, are inimical to the profitable operation of the companies concerned, and will certainly hurt the Nigerian economy.

He regretted that NAFDAC has, in the last two weeks, gone ahead to implement the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small PET bottles, in flagrant disobedience of the directives from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on the matter, as issued on 15th December 2025.

“NAFDAC’s recent action is also in direct contradiction of the earlier resolution of the House of Representatives on the matter (vide NAS /10/HR/CT.33/77c of 14th March 2024), wherein the House of Representatives, after an all-inclusive consultation with stakeholders through a Public Hearing, restrained NAFDAC from taking the needless punitive action of banning the production of alcoholic beverages in sachets and PET bottles. Rather than abiding by the generally agreed resolution, NAFDAC bided its time and chose to rely on a resolution of the Senate that was devoid of the usual stakeholders’ engagement. We have since approached the Senate, and we trust they will reconsider after further consultations. This is particularly concerning, as operators are now confused as to which directive to follow in the face of multiple directives,” he said.

He stressed that the sale of alcohol in sachets and PET bottles is an innovation to serve the segment of the adult population with low budgets who desire the product and should have a right of choice. The ban, he said, would deny them the opportunity to exercise that right. In addition, on the positive side, availability in small portions could also discourage abuse associated with larger portions, he noted.

He added that alcohol sold in sachets by local producers is produced under hygienic conditions and certified by regulatory agencies, including NAFDAC.

To ban such products, he said, would open the floodgates to illicit and unwholesome substances not subject to regulation, which are dangerous to health and beyond the control of regulatory agencies.

“We would like to further place on record that the untested assertion of abuse by minors as the basis for the ban has been controverted by credible, independently conducted empirical research. The industry, on its own, has even gone further to initiate a series of campaigns on responsible alcohol consumption to discourage underage abuse. This has so far cost operators over a billion Naira in advertising across all levels of media outreach across the federation. This has been very impactful in discouraging underage abuse and has deepened the access restriction landscape,” he said.

Noting that they support measures to remove unsafe products from the market, he said such decisions must be supported by facts, not by emotional persuasions or appeals to public sentiment. To succumb to these scenarios, he said, is a costly mistake, as it compromises jobs and livelihoods and triggers other unintended consequences.

“MAN, therefore, re-commits to working closely with our members engaged in the production of alcoholic beverages in sachets and PET bottles, as well as with NAFDAC and other Government agencies, to adhere to all regulations and standards.”

He warned that this unnecessary action by NAFDAC is detrimental to the survival of the affected indigenous industrial operators. He added that it is particularly worrying because it comes at the expense of the jobs and livelihoods of workers and all those involved in the value chain. He further noted that it is counterproductive, as it will open the market to illicit, sub-standard, and unregulated products; lead to an influx of imported alternatives; and deny the Government revenues collectable from the companies. The overall effect, he said, is that the economy and livelihoods will be negatively impacted.

“We therefore appeal to the Federal Government to urge NAFDAC to stop disrupting our members’ activities and to abide by the directive to suspend the implementation of the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and PET bottles,” he said.