Hundreds of desperate petty traders and drink distributors have taken to the streets of Lagos, issuing an urgent plea to President Bola Tinubu and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to suspend the ongoing enforcement of a ban on sachet and small-bottled alcoholic beverages.
The traders, marching under the banner of the Lagos State chapter of Concerned Drink Sellers and Traders Across Nigeria, say aggressive mop-up operations by regulatory task forces have left thousands of micro-entrepreneurs facing financial ruin, mounting debt, and severe hunger.
The protest follows NAFDAC’s intensified nationwide crackdown on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles below 200ml, ordering manufacturers and distributors to recall and destroy all non-compliant inventory.
Small-scale retailers argue that while the government frames the prohibition as a public health protection measure, the reality on the ground is wiping out self-created livelihoods in an already fragile macroeconomic environment.
“On many occasions, the enforcers go on aggressive operations, confiscating goods and putting these petty traders in a state of hopelessness,” said Ogbeni Adebayo, Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the association.
“Over 90 per cent of the retailers you see here today are on bank loans that they have no idea how to pay back,” Adebayo warned, addressing government officials. “Where does the government want them to run to now? We are calling on President Tinubu and NAFDAC to help us.”
Human Cost Behind the Counter
For many of the street-level vendors—predominantly single mothers, widows, and low-income families—the sale of low-cost, small-format drinks represents their sole daily cash flow mechanism to cover food, rent, and school fees.
Speaking during the protest, some of the traders emphasized that they are operating as legitimate, law-abiding small business owners trying to survive in a high-inflation economy.
“My wife and I sell sachet alcoholic beverages as legal retailers. That’s our legitimate means of livelihood,” said one of the retailers. “Most of the women gathered here today do the same business to cater for their families. Many of them are single mothers and widows. How does the government want them to survive this harsh economy?”
Lola Omololu, a widowed trader who lost her husband, recounted to reporters how the regulatory seizures have pushed her household to the brink.
“Since I lost my husband, this petty trade has been my only means of paying bills and feeding my children,” Omololu lamented. “I can’t go into prostitution or do anything against the law to feed my children. The government should help us.”
Temitayo Shodeke, another affected trader, questioned the timing and severity of the enforcement tactics during a period of widespread economic hardship.
“In this harsh economy, the government’s decision, in addition to NAFDAC’s enforcement, is brutal, to say the least,” Shodeke said. “Is selling sachet alcoholic beverages a crime? Do they want people to commit crimes before taking care of their basic needs, or to fold their arms in idleness and die of extreme hunger?”
Public Health vs. Livelihoods
NAFDAC, led by Director-General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has remained firm in its regulatory mandate. The agency maintains that the ban on sachet alcohol and small PET bottles is crucial to protect vulnerable groups, particularly minors and commercial drivers, from cheap, easily concealed, and high-concentration alcohol products.
The regulator points out that manufacturers and distributors were granted a multi-year phase-out transition window, accompanied by extensions, before full enforcement commenced. Under current NAFDAC guidelines, defaulting manufacturing facilities face being sealed, placed on regulatory watchlists, or having their product registrations permanently revoked.
However, the protesting traders insist that holding small retailers accountable for broader social issues is unfair, arguing that parental oversight—rather than small-scale vendors—should address underage consumption.
The association is urging the Federal Government, NAFDAC, and members of the National Assembly to immediately pause active seizures and enter structured consultations to establish a middle ground that balances public health objectives with the economic survival of thousands of informal business owners.
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