The Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) employees gathered at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) office in Lagos on Tuesday to stage a protest.
The association members converged at the NAFDAC office located in the Isolo area of the state, holding placards with various inscriptions, including messages like ‘Let poor Nigerians breathe’ and ‘Let beverage workers breathe’.
This protest marks the latest in a series of demonstrations that have been taking place since February 1, 2024, when NAFDAC began enforcing the ban on alcoholic beverages in sachets, as well as glass bottles of 200ml and below.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, previously stated that no such beverages were registered with the agency.
On February 13, 2024, the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association of Nigeria demanded that NAFDAC lift its ban on sachet alcohol within 14 days.
Affiliated with the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the association made this demand known during a protest held at the NAFDAC headquarters in Abuja.
If no action is taken, the association members warned that they would escalate their protests to other NAFDAC offices throughout the country.