Workers in Nigeria’s food and beverage industry have staged another protest at the office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Lagos.
These disgruntled workers warned that thousands of jobs are under threat following the continued enforcement of restrictions on sachet alcohol and small polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles.
The protesters, operating under the umbrella of the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB), flooded the agency’s office along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos, marking the fifth demonstration by industry workers this year over what they described as a “crippling” regulatory action.
Both junior and senior employees gathered in large numbers at the agency’s entrance, chanting solidarity songs and displaying placards with inscriptions such as, “Tinubu does not want jobs to be lost,” “Stop destroying local manufacturers,” “Release products placed on hold,” and “5.5 million jobs at risk.”
The protest follows the sealing of several factories accused of violating the ban on sachet alcohol and PET bottles below 200ml, a move labour leaders say has paralysed production lines and pushed many workers and their families toward economic hardship.
Speaking during the protest, FOBTOB National President, Jimoh Oyibo, warned that shutting down licensed manufacturers could unintentionally empower illegal producers and worsen public safety risks.
“Once you stop licensed manufacturers from producing approved products, you create space for unregulated and dangerous alternatives,” Oyibo said.
“This is not only about jobs; it concerns public safety, government revenue, and the survival of lawful businesses.”
Also addressing the workers, Secretary of the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees, Comrade Jeffery Igein, argued that the ongoing enforcement contradicts the spirit of the national alcohol policy already approved by the government.
“The alcohol policy has been signed. Therefore, NAFDAC should have lifted restrictions on these factories,” Igein said.
“This action threatens manufacturers and workers at a time when the economy is already harsh. Policies should support job protection and economic growth, not undermine them.”
Labour leaders maintained that they were not opposed to regulation but demanded dialogue, policy clarity, and a balanced approach that considers both public health concerns and economic realities.
According to them, similar protests are simultaneously taking place in Abuja and Aba, signalling growing nationwide discontent within the industry.
Despite claims by some protesters that the Nigerian Government had ordered a pause in enforcement, NAFDAC Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye, has reportedly insisted that the agency has not received any official directive to suspend its actions.
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