The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has strongly criticized the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for resuming enforcement of the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small PET bottles, calling it a “serious regulatory misstep” that threatens jobs, investments, and Nigeria’s regulatory credibility.

In a statement signed by NECA Director General Wale-Smatt Oyerinde, the employers’ body highlighted that the ongoing crackdown contradicts a December 15, 2025, directive from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) suspending all enforcement actions pending further consultations.

It also disregards a March 14, 2024, resolution by the House of Representatives urging restraint and inclusive stakeholder engagement.

NECA emphasized that the enforcement is already disrupting legitimate businesses, jeopardizing thousands of jobs across the wines and spirits value chain—including manufacturing, packaging, distribution, retail, and agriculture—and eroding investor confidence amid economic challenges such as high operating costs and currency pressures.

While affirming strong support for protecting minors, removing unsafe products, and advancing public health, NECA argued that the current blanket approach is flawed.

It disproportionately affects compliant, NAFDAC-registered manufacturers whose products underwent rigorous testing, registration, and revalidation processes. These products comply with international alcohol-by-volume (ABV) standards for spirits, with clear labeling and warnings restricting consumption to adults over 18.

Oyerinde stressed that underage access stems from enforcement gaps at the retail level—such as weak age verification and monitoring—rather than packaging formats. He advocated for smarter, evidence-based measures, including stricter retailer licensing, compliance checks, public education on responsible drinking, and intensified crackdowns on illicit narcotics and unregistered substances, which pose greater dangers to youth.

The statement noted that sachet and small-pack formats address affordability for low-income adult consumers in Nigeria’s economy, where daily small purchases are common.

Banning them risks shifting demand to unregulated, informal alternatives, potentially worsening public health risks while shrinking the formal economy and government revenue.

NECA also addressed environmental concerns over plastic waste, suggesting they be tackled through broader waste management, recycling, and extended producer responsibility policies across industries, rather than selective product bans that conflate environmental issues with product safety.

The association rejected any notion of opposing regulation, instead calling for science-driven, proportionate, and rule-of-law-based policies. It demanded an immediate suspension of enforcement in line with the SGF’s directive and a return to structured dialogue involving regulators, industry, public health experts, and consumers to develop balanced solutions.

“Nigeria deserves regulation that safeguards public health while preserving livelihoods, investment, and respect for due process,” Oyerinde concluded.

“Policies ignoring science, economic realities, and regulatory coherence risk causing more harm than good.

“NECA, established in 1957, serves as the umbrella body for organized private-sector employers in Nigeria, advocating for policies that foster a harmonious business environment, productivity, and prosperity.