Employers’ Group Urges Evidence-based Regulation, Due Process On Sachet Alcohol Ban

The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has expressed concern over the renewed enforcement by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) of a ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small PET bottles, warning that the action could have adverse economic and governance consequences.

The group’s director general, Wale-Smatt Oyerinde, said the enforcement contradicts a directive from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation dated December 15, 2025, which suspended the ban, as well as a March 14, 2024 resolution of the House of Representatives calling for restraint and broader stakeholder engagement.

NECA said the continued enforcement is already disrupting legitimate businesses, unsettling ongoing investments, and putting thousands of jobs at risk, while weakening confidence in Nigeria’s regulatory environment.

According to Oyerinde, regulation should be based on evidence, proportionality and the rule of law. He noted that the affected products were tested, registered and periodically revalidated under NAFDAC’s regulatory procedures, with alcohol content clearly labelled in line with internationally recognised Alcohol by Volume standards.

He added that underage drinking is primarily an enforcement issue at the retail level rather than a packaging issue, and called for stricter licensing, monitoring, and sanctions for erring retailers rather than a blanket ban on certain product formats.

NECA also warned that sachet and small-pack formats reflect affordability realities for many adult consumers, and that eliminating them could push demand into informal, unregulated markets, increasing public health risks and shrinking the formal economy.

The association further expressed concern that enforcement efforts are focused on a regulated segment of the beverage industry while more dangerous illicit narcotics and abused pharmaceuticals continue to circulate widely among young people.

On the economic impact, NECA said the wines and spirits value chain supports significant direct and indirect employment across manufacturing, packaging, distribution, transportation, retail and agriculture.

It cautioned that sudden regulatory actions could threaten livelihoods, reduce government revenue and undermine investor confidence.

Addressing environmental concerns, NECA said plastic waste issues should be tackled through improved waste management, recycling systems and extended producer responsibility frameworks, rather than selective product bans.