By RUKAYAT MOISEMHE

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has urged the Federal Government to intervene and restrain the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) over its renewed enforcement of the ban on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small PET bottles.

Director-General, MAN, Mr Segun Ajayi-Kadir, made the call in a statement on Monday in Lagos.

He stressed that NAFDAC’s action contradicted directives from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) issued on Dec. 15, 2025, suspending the implementation of the ban.

Ajayi-Kadir said the renewed enforcement also runs contrary to a March 14, 2024 resolution of the House of Representatives, which followed a public hearing with stakeholders, restrained NAFDAC from banning sachet and PET-bottled alcoholic beverages.

According to him, the conflicting directives from government institutions have created confusion among operators in the wines and spirits sector and are disrupting legitimate businesses.

He stated that sachet and PET-bottled alcoholic beverages were introduced to serve adult consumers with low purchasing power.

He added that smaller portions could help curb excessive consumption rather than encourage abuse.

Ajayi-Kadir noted that locally produced sachet alcohol was manufactured under hygienic conditions and duly certified by regulatory agencies, including NAFDAC.

He warned that an outright ban could fuel the proliferation of illicit and unregulated products that pose greater health risks.

He also dismissed claims that the products promote underage drinking, saying such assertions had been contradicted by empirical research.

“We would like to further place on record that the untested assertion of abuse by minors as the basis for the ban has been debated by credible and empirical research that was independently conducted.

“The industry, on its own, has even gone further, notwithstanding the report of the survey, to initiate a series of campaigns in respect of responsible alcohol consumption to discourage underage abuse.

“This has so far cost the operators over a billion Naira in advertisements at all levels of media outreach across the federation.

“This has been very impactful in discouraging abuse by underage persons and has deepened the access restriction landscape,” he said.

Ajayi-Kadir added that the ban threatened jobs, livelihoods and government revenue, while also encouraging smuggling and importation of unregulated alternatives.

He reaffirmed the commitment of MAN to working with regulatory agencies to ensure compliance with standards, while appealing to the Federal Government to direct NAFDAC to halt actions that disrupt members’ operations. (NAN)