A nationwide protest is brewing as employees of companies that produce sachet alcohol, alongside civil society organisations, have vowed to take to the streets if the ban on sachet alcoholic beverages and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles below 200 ml is not lifted.
The warning was issued during a protest at the Lagos office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The protesters, led by the National President of the Federation of Owners of Bottled and Tobacco (FOBTOB), Mr. Oyibo Jimoh, claimed that the ban would affect no fewer than five million Nigerians, both directly and indirectly.
They argued that the decision would have far-reaching consequences for livelihoods across the value chain, impacting manufacturers, distributors, and retailers nationwide.
Mr. Jimoh said the union had been engaging with the House of Representatives to develop a national alcohol policy that would accommodate the interests of all stakeholders without resorting to an outright ban.
However, he lamented that NAFDAC proceeded to seal factories despite the ongoing legislative deliberations. “It is a disregard for the Federal Government’s position and an attempt to undermine the ongoing process,” Mr. Jimoh said.
The protesters also challenged some of the claims made by the Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr. Mojisola Adeyeye, regarding the alcohol content of sachet beverages.
Mr. Jimoh described the claims as untrue and accused the agency of distorting facts to justify the ban. “We urge the government to reconsider its decision and engage in a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to addressing the issues surrounding sachet alcohol,” he added.
The employees, under the aegis of FOBTOB and the Nigeria Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE), were joined by members of the Coalition for the Protection of Consumers’ Rights.
During the protest, participants carried placards and sang solidarity songs, demanding that the ban be lifted and that a more nuanced regulatory approach be adopted.
