Members of Nigeria’s distillers’ association, operating under the Food, Beverages and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB) and the National Union of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE), have warned that the ongoing enforcement actions by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) could displace more than 5.5 million Nigerians from their jobs.
The unions, affiliates of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), raised the alarm on Friday when they staged a protest at the Lagos office of NAFDAC over an order halting the distribution of sachet alcohol and certain PET bottled drinks.
DDM News reports that NAFDAC recently commenced enforcement of a ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET bottles below 200 millilitres.
The agency had earlier, on November 11, 2025, announced plans to implement a total ban on such products by December 2025, following a directive from the Senate.
However, the enforcement was initially suspended after the Federal Government, through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), ordered an immediate halt to all actions related to the proposed ban, pending further consultations and a final policy directive.
Speaking during a media briefing on Wednesday, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, stated that the agency had since received a matching directive from the Senate to proceed, adding that enforcement had already begun.
At the protest ground on Friday, the Executive Secretary of FOBTOB, Solomon Adebosin, warned that the policy could result in the loss of no fewer than 5.5 million direct and indirect jobs across the country.
According to him, the enforcement undermines the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, which prioritises investment attraction and job creation.
Adebosin also challenged NAFDAC’s position that sachet alcohol and small PET drinks were easily accessible to minors, insisting that the claim lacked empirical evidence.
We are here today to protest the sudden seizure of our companies in the distillery sector by NAFDAC over sachet drinks and PET bottles below 200ml,” he said.
There are over 500,000 Nigerians employed directly in this sector and more than five million employed indirectly. All of these jobs are now at risk.
The real issue should be access and control. With proper regulation, children and minors can be prevented from accessing these products.
He added that distillers had continued to invest in advocacy, sensitisation, and compliance measures to ensure that only qualified adults consume their products.
Also speaking, the Head of the Brewery and Tobacco Department of NUFBTE, Azeez Razaq, accused NAFDAC of sabotaging the growth of indigenous manufacturers through its actions.
Razaq condemned what he described as the agency’s disregard for the SGF’s directive ordering a suspension of enforcement, warning that shutting down companies would worsen unemployment and potentially fuel insecurity across the country.
Reading out the unions’ demands, a FOBTOB member, Anthony Oyagha, called on the Presidency to urgently intervene.
We appeal to the Presidency to ensure that NAFDAC aligns its actions with government policy, legislative oversight, and the broader national interest,” Oyagha said.
Local manufacturers deserve protection and partnership, not punitive measures that destroy investments, livelihoods, and confidence in Nigeria’s business environment.
We respectfully urge Mr President to act decisively to protect indigenous industries, safeguard jobs, and ensure that regulatory agencies truly serve the Nigerian people.
