The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), in conjunction with the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), has expressed its concerns over the damage the ban on the production of alcohol beverages in sachets and PET bottles would cause to the manufacturing sector.

This ban was announced by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) during the week. Since this announcement was made, stakeholders have been expressing their displeasure with it.

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FIJ recently reported that the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB), a subsidiary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC); and the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE), a subsidiary of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), protested in Lagos and Abuja on Thursday against the ban on alcohol in sachets and PET bottles.

According to DIBAN and MAN, this ban threatens to shut down over N800 billion worth of investments in the food and beverage subsector. This was disclosed during a press conference held in Lagos on Friday.

John Ichue, the Executive Secretary of DIBAN, said during the press conference that the investors in this sector had invested over N800 billion and that the recent ban was a huge threat to the investment. The executive secretary added that 5.5 million direct and indirect jobs might also be in jeopardy if the ban by NAFDAC was allowed to stay.

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“More than 25 companies in the wine and spirits sector in the country may be forced to close shop if the president does not intervene in reversing the ban,” John added.

This ban would contribute significantly to the loss of jobs and livelihoods for Nigerians across the country. Procter & Gamble and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), two multinational corporations, have announced an end to their operations in Nigeria.As a result of these exits, thousands of jobs are at risk.

Unemployment has been ravaging Nigeria for years, with no end in sight. There is no doubt that this ban, just like the exits of multinational corporations, would contribute significantly to unemployment in Nigeria.