The Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association, an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), has accused the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) of pursuing a “sinister agenda” with the enforcement of its ban on alcohol sold in sachets.
Gatekeepers News reports that the union’s Executive Secretary, Solomon Adebosin, made the allegation on Wednesday during a protest at NAFDAC’s office in Lagos.
Earlier the same day, NAFDAC announced that it had begun enforcing the ban on the production and sale of alcohol packaged in sachets and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles across the country.
Adebosin claimed the policy was designed to cripple indigenous manufacturers of wines and spirits, alleging that the agency’s leadership was pushing ahead with enforcement despite warnings about the economic impact.
He questioned why the agency proceeded even after the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) reportedly requested that the ban be put on hold for proper review, particularly because of its far-reaching consequences.
“This policy threatens the survival of indigenous manufacturers,” Adebosin said, adding that the sector could lose over five million jobs and investments estimated at more than N3 trillion if the ban is fully enforced.
The union argued that outright prohibition is not the best solution, maintaining that regulation through access control and advocacy is a more sustainable and globally accepted way of addressing concerns around alcohol consumption.
Also speaking at the protest, Azeez Rasaki, who represented the National Union of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employees, said the policy undermines Nigeria’s economic recovery.
According to him, the ban contradicts the objectives of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises job creation, industrial growth and support for local enterprises.
