MAN URGES FG TO HALT NESREA’S PLASTIC BAN, WARNS OF MASSIVE JOB LOSSES, FACTORY CLOSURES AND ECONOMIC DISRUPTION
Lagos, Nigeria – June 15, 2026
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has called on the Federal Government and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) to immediately suspend the proposed implementation of the National Environmental (Plastic Waste Control) Regulations 2026, warning that the policy could trigger widespread job losses, factory closures, reduced investments, and severe disruptions across Nigeria’s manufacturing sector.
The Association expressed deep concern over provisions in the proposed regulations that seek to prohibit the production and use of single-use plastic products below 80 microns in thickness, impose taxes on certain shopping bags, and restrict a wide range of plastic products listed in the Eleventh Schedule of the regulations.
According to MAN, while environmental sustainability remains a shared national objective, the proposed measures are premature, lack sufficient empirical justification, and could inflict significant socio-economic damage on manufacturers, workers, small businesses, and consumers.
Speaking on behalf of the Association, the Director-General of MAN, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, mni noted that Nigeria already has a comprehensive framework for addressing plastic pollution through the National Plastic Action Partnership (NNPAP) Plastic Circularity Roadmap developed in 2024 in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment.
“The roadmap provides practical and sustainable solutions through improved collection systems, expanded recycling infrastructure, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), circular economy initiatives, public awareness campaigns, and investments in waste management. Many of these recommendations are yet to be fully implemented,” he said.
MAN questioned the rationale for introducing a new prohibition regime without first evaluating the effectiveness of existing measures and implementing the agreed roadmap designed specifically to address plastic pollution in a sustainable and inclusive manner.
The Association further observed that no publicly available assessment exists on the impact of previously restricted plastic products in Nigeria, making it difficult to determine whether earlier interventions have achieved measurable environmental outcomes.
“Public policy should be guided by evidence, measurable results, and stakeholder engagement rather than assumptions,” Ajayi-Kadir stated.
Drawing lessons from international experiences, MAN noted that countries that adopted outright bans on thin plastic products often recorded unintended economic consequences, including factory closures, job losses, smuggling, and increased dependence on imports. In contrast, nations such as Germany, South Korea, and the Netherlands have achieved significant environmental gains through robust recycling systems and Extended Producer Responsibility frameworks without undermining industrial growth.
The Association warned that Nigeria’s plastic manufacturing industry, one of the country’s largest light manufacturing sectors, supports hundreds of factories, thousands of small and medium-scale enterprises, and an extensive value chain spanning petrochemicals, food processing, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, logistics, retail trade, and recycling.
According to MAN, implementing an 80-micron threshold would require costly modifications to production lines, machinery, and raw material inputs, potentially rendering existing investments obsolete and reducing the competitiveness of local manufacturers.
The Association also cautioned that increased production costs would ultimately be transferred to consumers, further worsening the burden on households already struggling with high inflation and declining purchasing power.
Beyond manufacturers, MAN said the proposed regulation could adversely affect market traders, food vendors, small businesses, and informal sector operators who rely on affordable packaging solutions for daily operations.
Additionally, the Association warned that reduced industrial output and declining investments could negatively impact government revenues through lower collections from taxes, customs duties, value-added tax, and other fiscal contributions generated by the manufacturing sector.
MAN emphasized that plastic pollution is fundamentally a waste management challenge rather than a production challenge.
“The problem lies in inadequate collection, sorting, recycling, and disposal systems. Sustainable environmental outcomes will be achieved through stronger waste management infrastructure, expanded recycling capacity, effective enforcement of Extended Producer Responsibility regulations, and increased public awareness, not through blanket prohibitions that fail to address the root causes of pollution,” the Association stated.
Consequently, MAN called on NESREA and the Federal Government to:
<span;><span;>* Suspend the implementation of the proposed ban on single-use plastics below 80 microns pending a comprehensive Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA);
<span;><span;>* Conduct an independent evaluation of the environmental, economic, social, fiscal, and employment implications of the proposed regulation;
<span;><span;>* Assess the effectiveness of previously implemented plastic restrictions before introducing additional prohibitions;
<span;><span;>* Fully implement the recommendations of the 2024 NNPAP Plastic Circularity Roadmap;
<span;><span;>* Strengthen the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework and accelerate investments in recycling and waste collection infrastructure; and
<span;><span;>* Establish a broad-based stakeholder working group comprising government agencies, manufacturers, recyclers, academia, consumer groups, environmental organizations, and development partners to develop a practical and evidence-based transition strategy.
The Association reiterated its commitment to working collaboratively with government and other stakeholders to develop science-based, economically sustainable, and environmentally responsible solutions to plastic waste management in Nigeria.
“Nigeria must pursue environmental sustainability without sacrificing industrial growth, economic competitiveness, employment generation, and social welfare. Effective regulation must strike a careful balance between environmental protection and economic development,” Ajayi-Kadir concluded.
Signed
*Segun Ajayi-Kadir, mni*
*Director-General*
*Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN)*