Workers in Nigeria’s food and beverage sector have told the Federal Government that job losses loom if the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control’s (NAFDAC) enforcement of the ban on sachet alcohol and small PET bottles continues, the union said during a protest at the NAFDAC Lagos office.
Distillers and workers under the umbrella of the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB) staged their fifth protest in 2026 at NAFDAC’s office on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, urging urgent intervention from the federal government amid enforcement of the ban on alcohol in sachets and smaller PET bottles.
The ban, which targets alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET containers below 200ml, has led to the sealing of factories and detention of products, actions that protest organisers say have stalled production and affected operations.
Large numbers of workers, including both junior and senior staff, gathered at NAFDAC’s Lagos premises on Tuesday, chanting and carrying placards that included messages such as “Tinubu does not want jobs to be lost”, “Stop destroying local manufacturers” and “5.5 million jobs at risk.”
The protesters said the enforcement approach had paralysed operations in the sector and threatened the livelihoods of thousands of families.
They argued that continued closures and sealing of facilities could displace workers and affect related economic activities downstream.
National President of FOBTOB, Jimoh Oyibo, said shutting down licensed manufacturers could create space for unregulated and illegal operators. He said the union’s concerns were about protecting jobs, public safety and lawful businesses.
Secretary of the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees, Comrade Jeffery Igein, noted that an alcohol policy had already been signed and said NAFDAC should have lifted restrictions on factories that complied with the validated National Alcohol Policy.
Igein said the enforcement “threatens manufacturers and workers” and that policies should align with the government’s broader agenda of job protection and economic growth — comments reflecting the union’s position.
Labour leaders emphasised that they were not opposing regulation itself but were calling for clarity, dialogue and policy balance between public health objectives and economic realities affecting workers and producers.
According to the protest organisers, similar demonstrations were also taking place in Abuja and Aba, indicating concerns beyond Lagos.
NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has said the agency had not received any official directive from the Federal Government to halt enforcement of the ban.
The union’s appeal to the Federal Government highlights labour’s contention that continued enforcement of the sachet alcohol ban could affect employment across the food and beverage industry.
Protesters are warning that prolonged closures and factory shutdowns could deepen unemployment and economic strain, affecting workers and their families who depend on the industry for livelihood.
Union leaders’ statements also reflect broader concerns within the sector about regulatory clarity and coordination between agencies implementing public health policy and organisations representing labour interests.
