Distillers, under the aegis of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB) and the National Union of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employees, have again appealed to the Federal Government to enforce status quo, directing the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to immediately ban sachet alcoholic drinks on hold, warning that more workers have been laid off.

The distillers, who gathered yesterday at the Lagos office of NAFDAC, expressed dissatisfaction over the continued enforcement of the ban as it could further strain Nigeria’s fragile employment landscape.

National Secretary of FOBTOB, Jeffery Igein, stressed the need for the Federal Government’s intervention, warning that the continued ban poses a serious threat not only to local manufacturers but also to workers across multiple states.

He noted that the protest, which is also currently going on in Abuja, is expanding to Aba as the workers have also joined, adding that more workers across the country would soon hold a massive protest against the ban.

“By now, the NAFDAC leadership should have magnanimously unbanned the affected companies and their products so that business activities can continue pending further directives from the Federal Government,” he said.

He, however, warned that the continued enforcement could have serious political consequences, particularly creating more voter apathy as the country is set to witness another cycle of elections in 2027.

Igein also raised concerns about the potential impact on foreign investors’ confidence, questioning how Nigeria could attract international investment if local businesses and workers feel unfairly treated.

“If you cannot treat your citizens properly, how will you treat foreign investors you have brought into the country?” he asked.

In his remark, Branch Chairman of FOBTOB in Lagos, Somefun Olamiye, lamented that despite their multiple protests in the past two weeks, NAFDAC has failed to rescind the sachet alcoholic drinks ban and unseal the factories.

He, however, warned that the potential layoffs would further worsen unemployment and insecurity in the country.