Members of the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) staged a protest on Tuesday at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) office in Lagos.
The union is demanding the reversal of the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and PET bottles.
The protesters, carrying placards with slogans like “Let poor Nigerians breathe” and “Let beverage workers breathe,” expressed their anger over the ban’s impact on their livelihoods and the accessibility of affordable alcohol for low-income consumers.
This protest marks the latest escalation in the ongoing dispute between the alcohol industry and NAFDAC.
NAFDAC implemented the ban on February 1st, stating that the packaging of alcoholic beverages in sachets and pet bottles was responsible for the increase in alcoholic use among underage.
It was also noted that the packaging of alcoholic beverages in sachets and pet bottles increases the use of hard drugs.
NAFDAC Director-General Mojisola Adeyeye also stated that none of these products were registered with the agency.
However, DIBAN contested these claims, stating that there is no legal or moral justification for an outright ban.
They also argued that alcoholic beverages in sachets and PET bottles are not produced with hard drugs, and there is no evidence from NAFDAC supporting the allegations.
DIBAN, which comprises over 24 corporate organizations involved in the production and manufacturing of wines and spirits, warned that investments worth over N1.2 trillion will be lost and 5.5 million direct and indirect workers will lose their jobs with this ban.
