MAN Urges Senate, NAFDAC To Reverse Ban On Sachet Alcoholic Drinks

…Warns of Job Losses, N8trn Investment Risk Over Ban

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Senate to rescind the recent decision to ban the production and sale of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles from December 2025.

The association described the move as ill-timed, economically disruptive, and inconsistent with the collective position reached by all stakeholders during the recent validation of the National Alcohol Policy.

In a statement signed by its Director-General, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, MAN expressed deep concern over the Senate’s resolution endorsing NAFDAC’s ban, noting that it contradicted earlier agreements among regulators, the Ministry of Health, industry operators, and the House of Representatives, which had opted for a more measured, consultative approach.

Ajayi-Kadir said the latest directive disregarded the earlier decision of the Ministry of Health, which approved a one-year extension for full implementation of the National Alcohol Policy following extensive stakeholder consultations. According to him, such broad-based engagement should have been considered before any new pronouncement by the Senate or NAFDAC.

“Stakeholder consultations, either through public hearings or focused meetings with relevant industry participants, should have been held before ordering a ban. This was the transparent process followed by the House of Representatives,” Ajayi-Kadir stated.

He explained that an enlarged committee comprising government agencies, NAFDAC representatives, and other stakeholders had, in October 2025, validated the National Alcohol Policy, which proposed a balanced, multi-sectoral implementation plan.

The recommendations included tightening enforcement by law enforcement agencies, establishing licensed liquor outlets in local government areas, strengthening monitoring and compliance checks by NAFDAC and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and promoting responsible consumption campaigns across schools and public spaces.

Ajayi-Kadir noted that the industry had already invested heavily in nationwide enlightenment campaigns against underage drinking, spending over N1bn on public education through multiple media platforms.

He described as unfounded the claims that sachet alcohol is widely abused by minors, saying independent studies had disproved such assertions.

“It is therefore unfair that the Senate acted only on NAFDAC’s position without considering the collective recommendations of the Ministry of Health-led validation process. This approach undermines due process and could destabilize an already fragile manufacturing sector,” he said.

The MAN chief warned that enforcing the ban could trigger severe economic disruptions, including the loss of over N8trn in investments, mostly by indigenous companies, and massive layoffs affecting more than 500,000 direct employees and about 5 million others in ancillary roles such as distribution, logistics, and retail.

He added that the ban would reverse recent gains in local manufacturing capacity utilization and threaten indigenous entrepreneurship that has begun to thrive in the beverages sub-sector.

Ajayi-Kadir also argued that the sachet packaging innovation was designed to serve low-income adult consumers who deserve the right of choice and affordability, adding that smaller portions can, in fact, discourage excessive consumption.

He cautioned that banning regulated, locally produced sachet alcohol could encourage the proliferation of illicit, unregulated alternatives that pose far greater public health risks. According to him, such a move would open the floodgates for smuggled and substandard alcoholic products that evade government control, thereby reducing tax revenue and undermining consumer safety.

“Once there is established demand for a legal product, regulation and control remain the most sustainable way to manage access, not prohibition,” Ajayi-Kadir stressed.

The association further warned that a blanket ban would tilt the market in favor of foreign, often smuggled brands, thereby worsening the challenges faced by domestic producers.

Consequently, MAN urged the Senate to reverse its directive and for NAFDAC to suspend implementation of the ban. The association called for the full adoption and execution of the validated Nigeria National Alcohol Policy and its multi-sectoral framework as a more sustainable alternative to outright prohibition.

“We appeal to the Senate to rescind its order on the sachet alcohol ban and restrain NAFDAC from enforcing it from December 1, 2025. The economic implications of sudden regulatory shifts at this time could be disastrous for legitimate manufacturers and millions of Nigerian workers,” Ajayi-Kadir said.

He reaffirmed MAN’s commitment to supporting the production of safe and responsibly marketed alcoholic beverages, noting that regulatory actions must be guided by empirical evidence rather than emotional appeals.

“We have always supported the removal of unsafe products from the market, but such decisions must be based on data, not sentiment. Poorly considered bans compromise livelihoods and create unintended consequences,” he said.