Organised Labour Protests NAFDAC Ban on Small-Sized Alcoholic Beverages

Organised labour, led by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Nigeria and the National Union of Food Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE), on Tuesday staged a protest at the Lagos office of the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

The demonstration was in response to the recent ban and shutdown of production lines for alcoholic drinks in sachets and small bottles below 200ml.

Workers expressed vehement opposition to the ban, citing concerns over the potential loss of over 45,000 jobs and billions of Naira in investments. Holding placards with messages such as “NAFDAC, let us breathe,” they voiced their grievances outside NAFDAC’s office along the Apapa-Oshodi expressway in Isolo, Lagos State.

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Olamide Somefun, Vice Chairman of the Food Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association, Ota, Ogun State, underscored the economic impact of the ban, warning that many companies, especially local industries providing raw materials, would face closure.

The protest follows NAFDAC’s announcement of the ban enforcement on February 1, 2024. Director-General Mojisola Adeyeye reiterated the agency’s commitment to eliminating small-sized alcoholic beverages due to concerns about their accessibility to underage drinkers. Prof. Adeyeye emphasized the adverse long-term consequences children face from easily accessible and affordable alcoholic products.

Despite NAFDAC’s phased approach outlined in a 2019 five-year phase-out notice, NUFBTE members expressed apprehensions about the ban’s economic fallout. They highlighted its broader implications for families relying on the affected industries for their livelihoods.

The ban, initially agreed upon by a multi-agency committee in 2018, aimed at gradually reducing production before a complete phase-out by 2024. NAFDAC maintained adherence to the agreed timeline, refraining from renewing licenses for the banned products after January 2024
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