ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria has urged the Federal Government and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency to halt the proposed ban on single-use plastics below 80 microns, warning that the policy could disrupt investments, raise production costs, reduce competitiveness and result in major capital losses for manufacturers.
In a statement issued on Monday, the association raised concerns over the proposed implementation of the National Environmental (Plastic Waste Control) Regulations 2026, which seek to ban the production and use of single-use plastic products with a thickness below 80 microns and impose taxes on shopping bags with wall thicknesses between 30 and 50 microns.
MAN said although it supports initiatives aimed at tackling environmental pollution and promoting sustainable waste management, the proposed regulation is premature, lacks adequate empirical backing and could have serious implications for the economy, manufacturing sector and employment.
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The Director-General of MAN, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, said the proposed 80-micron threshold would have significant consequences for both manufacturers and consumers.
“The implementation of an 80-micron threshold would require substantial changes in manufacturing processes, machinery configurations, and raw material consumption. Such changes could render existing investments obsolete, increase production costs significantly, reduce competitiveness, and expose manufacturers to substantial capital losses,” Ajayi-Kadir said.
According to the association, the plastic manufacturing industry remains one of Nigeria’s largest light manufacturing sectors, supporting hundreds of factories, thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises and a value chain that cuts across petrochemicals, packaging, food processing, pharmaceuticals, retail, agriculture, logistics and recycling.
MAN cautioned that any increase in production costs would eventually be borne by consumers already struggling with inflation and shrinking purchasing power.
“The consequences extend beyond manufacturers. Increased production costs will inevitably be passed on to consumers, many of whom are already grappling with unprecedented inflationary pressures and declining purchasing power. Small businesses, market traders, food vendors, and informal sector operators who rely heavily on affordable packaging solutions will face additional operational costs, with potentially severe implications for business sustainability and household welfare,” Ajayi-Kadir stated.
The association further warned that the regulation could hasten deindustrialisation by encouraging greater dependence on imported alternatives and raw materials.
“At a time when Nigeria is pursuing industrialisation, job creation, import substitution, and export diversification, policies that undermine domestic manufacturing capacity should be carefully reconsidered,” Ajayi-Kadir said.
MAN also argued that the policy could negatively affect government revenue through lower industrial output, declining investment and job losses.
The association recalled that the Federal Government, through the National Plastic Action Partnership, developed a Plastic Circularity Roadmap in 2024 alongside the Federal Ministry of Environment to address plastic pollution through enhanced collection systems, recycling infrastructure, Extended Producer Responsibility initiatives and public awareness campaigns.
However, it noted that many of the roadmap’s recommendations remain unimplemented.
“It is therefore difficult to understand why the government is proceeding with 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,” Ajayi-Kadir said.
MAN also criticised the absence of a publicly available assessment on the impact of previous restrictions on single-use plastics.
“There is no evidence showing the extent to which earlier bans have reduced environmental pollution, improved waste collection rates, enhanced recycling performance, or changed consumer behaviour. Public policy should be driven by evidence, measurable outcomes, and stakeholder consultation rather than assumptions,” Ajayi-Kadir stated.
Drawing from international examples, the association said restrictions on thin plastic products in countries such as Kenya, Bangladesh, South Africa and India have produced mixed outcomes, including factory closures, job losses and the continued circulation of banned products through informal channels.
It added that countries such as Germany, South Korea and Netherlands recorded better results through Extended Producer Responsibility systems and investments in recycling infrastructure rather than outright bans.
MAN maintained that plastic pollution is fundamentally a waste management issue rather than a production challenge.
“Plastic pollution should be addressed at its source through effective waste management and resource recovery systems. The challenge lies not in the production of plastics, but in the inefficient collection, sorting, recycling, and disposal of post-consumer waste,” Ajayi-Kadir said.
The association called on NESREA and the Federal Government to suspend the proposed ban pending a comprehensive Regulatory Impact Assessment, review the effectiveness of previous plastic restrictions, fully implement the 2024 Plastic Circularity Roadmap, strengthen the Extended Producer Responsibility framework and establish a broad stakeholder working group to develop an evidence-based transition strategy.
“Nigeria must pursue environmental sustainability without sacrificing industrial growth, economic competitiveness, employment, and social welfare. Effective regulation should strike a balance between environmental protection and economic development,” Ajayi-Kadir added.