Employees of companies that produce sachet alcohol, alongside civil society groups, have warned of a possible nationwide protest if the Federal Government does not reverse the ban on sachet alcoholic beverages and PET bottles below 200 millilitres.
The warning followed another protest on Monday at the Lagos office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control along the Oshodi–Apapa Expressway, just days after an earlier demonstration over the same issue.
The protesting workers, under the umbrella of the Food, Beverages and Tobacco Senior Staff Association and the National Union of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employees, were joined by members of the Coalition for the Protection of Consumers’ Rights. They carried placards and chanted solidarity songs, expressing concern over job losses and factory closures triggered by the ban.
Union leaders said millions of Nigerians could be affected if the policy remains in force, citing both direct employment and linked supply chains. Although the Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, met with labour leaders after the earlier protest, she reportedly maintained that the ban would stand unless existing laws are amended.
Speaking to journalists, the National President of FOBTOB, Oyibo Jimoh, said discussions were ongoing at the National Assembly to develop a comprehensive national alcohol policy that would balance public health concerns with economic realities. He criticised NAFDAC for sealing factories while legislative consultations were still in progress, describing the action as premature.
Jimoh also disputed claims made by the regulator regarding the alcohol content of sachet drinks, insisting that some of the assertions were inaccurate. He added that labour unions were excluded from Senate deliberations that preceded the enforcement actions.
The NUFBTE Head of Brewery and Tobacco, Azeez Rasaq, said labour unions could escalate the matter by involving central labour bodies such as the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress. According to him, continued disregard for workers’ concerns could spark a nationwide protest.
Civil society groups echoed similar sentiments. A representative, Declan Ihekaira, argued that the ban disproportionately affects low-income consumers and infringes on consumer choice, warning that activists were prepared to mobilise nationwide if the policy is not reviewed.
Some workers said they feared losing their livelihoods, with one employee noting that job losses would have far-reaching effects on families and dependants. Labour leaders in Lagos added that if dialogue fails, protests could extend to Abuja, including demonstrations at the National Assembly.
