The Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Segun Ajayi-Kadir, has faulted the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) over its decision to ban the production and sale of alcoholic drinks packaged in sachets and small PET bottles from 31 December 2025.
Ajayi-Kadir described the directive as "shocking" and "contradictory," saying it goes against previous agreements reached with industry stakeholders and the existing position of the House of Representatives.
The Senate had reportedly endorsed NAFDAC’s position at its sitting on Thursday, 6 November 2025, a move the MAN chief said came without due consultation or consideration of ongoing policy efforts led by the Ministry of Health.
"It is concerning that this development contradicts all stakeholders’ efforts and the subsisting position of the House of Representatives.
"The earlier directive for a one-year extension, which allowed for stakeholder input and validation of the National Alcohol Policy, should have been considered before any new pronouncement," he said.
He lamented that no public hearing or stakeholder consultation was conducted before the Senate moved to endorse the ban, insisting that an enlarged committee, which included NAFDAC representatives, had only last month validated the National Alcohol Policy.
That committee, he said, had recommended a multi-sectoral approach focused on stricter enforcement, education, and monitoring rather than an outright prohibition.
The policy proposals, according to him, included the establishment of licensed liquor outlets across local government areas, tighter compliance checks by NAFDAC and other regulators, and nationwide campaigns discouraging underage drinking.
Ajayi-Kadir also dismissed claims that alcohol sachets were being widely abused by minors, describing such assertions as "unfounded and untested," saying that independent government research had found no evidence to support the claim.
"We have spent over a billion naira on responsible drinking campaigns to curb underage abuse, and the results have been very impactful," he said.
The MAN boss warned that enforcing the ban would have "dire economic consequences," including the loss of over N1.9 trillion in investments, the retrenchment of more than 500,000 direct employees and around five million indirect workers, and a sharp decline in local manufacturing capacity.
He further cautioned that the measure could drive consumers toward illicit and unregulated alcoholic products, worsen smuggling, and expose the market to unsafe foreign brands, thereby depriving the government of revenue.
"NAFDAC should have presented its position during the policy validation process rather than bypassing it and approaching the National Assembly unilaterally," he said.
Ajayi-Kadir urged the Senate to rescind its decision and restrain NAFDAC from enforcing the ban. Instead, he called for the full implementation of the validated Nigeria National Alcohol Policy, which, he argued, offers a balanced and evidence-based framework for addressing alcohol-related challenges.
"MAN supports removing unsafe products from the market. But such decisions must be based on empirical evidence, not emotional appeals. Sudden regulatory shifts can destroy jobs, livelihoods, and local industries.
"We remain committed to working with our members to promote responsible consumption and strict compliance with national standards," he said.
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