Distillers, NLC Protest Sachet Alcohol Ban in Lagos

By: Sofiat Adenekan-Abdul

Pressure mounted on regulators on Friday as members of the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria took their objections to the federal ban on sachet alcoholic beverages to the Lagos State office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

The protest, reinforced by the presence of organised labour, featured members of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), who joined industry operators in calling for a reassessment of the policy, citing concerns over its impact on investment, employment, and domestic manufacturing.

Protesters converged on the NAFDAC office carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs, urging authorities to reopen dialogue with affected stakeholders.

Messages on the placards included “Stop destroying local manufacturers,” “N2 trillion investment deserves protection,” “5.5 million Nigerians cannot be pushed to the streets,” and “The Renewed Hope Agenda must work for all Nigerians,” among others.

The demonstration underscores mounting unease within the alcoholic beverage value chain, where operators maintain that sachet alcohol production sustains millions of direct and indirect jobs, spanning distribution, retail, logistics, and allied services.

As of the time of filing this report, representatives of the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria had yet to address the press. NAFDAC also had not issued an official response to the protest.