Health
MAN opposes proposed ban on thin plastics
By Arinze Nwafor
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency to suspend the proposed ban on single-use plastics below 80 microns.
MAN warned that the policy could render existing investments obsolete, increase production costs, weaken competitiveness, and expose manufacturers to significant capital losses.
In a statement issued on Monday, MAN expressed concern over the proposed implementation of the National Environmental (Plastic Waste Control) Regulations 2026, which aim to prohibit the production and use of single-use plastic products with a thickness of less than 80 microns and impose taxes on shopping bags with wall thicknesses ranging from 30 to 50 microns.
The association said while it supports efforts to address environmental pollution and promote sustainable waste management, the proposed regulation was premature, lacked sufficient empirical justification and posed serious risks to Nigeria’s economy, manufacturing sector and employment.
According to the MAN Director-General, Mr Segun Ajayi-Kadir, the implementation of the 80-micron threshold would have far-reaching consequences for 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.
The association noted that Nigeria’s plastic manufacturing industry remains one of the country’s largest light manufacturing sectors, supporting hundreds of manufacturing facilities, thousands of small and medium-scale enterprises and a broad value chain spanning petrochemicals, packaging, food processing, pharmaceuticals, retail trade, agriculture, logistics and recycling.
MAN warned that higher production costs would ultimately be transferred to consumers already facing rising inflation and declining 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 also cautioned that the proposed regulation could accelerate deindustrialisation by increasing 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 further argued that the policy could adversely affect government revenue through reduced industrial output, declining investments and job losses.
The association recalled that the Federal Government, through the National Plastic Action Partnership, developed a Plastic Circularity Roadmap in 2024 in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment to tackle plastic pollution through improved collection systems, recycling infrastructure, Extended Producer Responsibility initiatives and public awareness campaigns.
It, however, lamented that many of the roadmap’s recommendations had yet to be fully implemented. “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 faulted the absence of a publicly available assessment of the impact of previous restrictions on single-use plastics in the country.
“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.
Citing international experiences, the association said bans on thin plastic products in countries such as Kenya, Bangladesh, South Africa and India produced mixed results, 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 the Netherlands achieved better outcomes through Extended Producer Responsibility systems and investments in recycling infrastructure rather than outright bans.
MAN maintained that plastic pollution was primarily a waste management challenge rather than a production problem.
“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 urged NESREA and the Federal Government to suspend the proposed ban pending a comprehensive Regulatory Impact Assessment, evaluate the effectiveness of previous plastic restrictions, fully implement the 2024 Plastic Circularity Roadmap, strengthen the Extended Producer Responsibility framework and establish a broad-based 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.
Copyright PUNCH
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
