Key points
- The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria requested a pause on a proposed government ban targeting single-use plastics below 80 microns.
- Industrial leaders warned the environmental rules could disrupt factory production, increase costs, and put local jobs at risk.
- The proposed ban is part of upcoming plastic waste control regulations aimed at cutting down on thin packaging materials.
- Trade representatives argued that plastic pollution is a waste collection problem that should be solved by recycling infrastructure rather than bans.
- The association urged the government to study the financial impact on small businesses and vendors who rely heavily on cheap packaging.
Main Story
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has called on the federal government to suspend its proposed ban on single-use plastics below 80 microns in thickness.
In a statement released on Monday in Lagos, the Director-General of MAN, Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir, urged the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) to halt the implementation of its upcoming 2026 Plastic Waste Control Regulations. The proposed environmental rules aim to prohibit thin plastic products and place taxes on specific shopping bags.
While stating that manufacturers support environmental sustainability, Ajayi-Kadir warned that the sudden restrictions are premature, lack clear data, and could severely disrupt industrial production and threaten jobs.
The association highlighted that the plastic industry supports a wide network of factories, small businesses, and supply chains across vital areas like food processing, agriculture, medicine, and logistics. Forcing factories to meet the new 80-micron thickness rule would require expensive upgrades to manufacturing machinery, potentially making current investments useless and driving up production costs.
Trade leaders warned that these extra expenses would ultimately be passed down to everyday consumers, market traders, and street food vendors who depend on affordable plastic wrap and bags. There are also concerns that the ban could accidentally force businesses to rely on imported packaging options, hurting national goals for local job creation and industrial growth.
Instead of pushing forward with a strict ban, the manufacturers’ union argued that plastic pollution is fundamentally a waste management breakdown rather than an issue with the material itself. The group pointed out that the government previously agreed to a separate plastic roadmap in 2024 focused on improving trash collection, sorting, and recycling systems.
Pointing to global examples, MAN noted that countries like India and Kenya saw high economic costs but very limited environmental improvements from similar bans, whereas nations like Germany achieved better results by investing heavily in recycling setups. The association is now calling for an independent study on how the rules will impact jobs and the economy, alongside the creation of a joint working group bringing together government agencies, factory owners, and environmental experts.
The Issues
- Balancing environmental cleanup goals without forcing local factories to close or lay off workers.
- Protecting small food vendors and market traders from a sudden jump in packaging costs.
- Fixing the underlying gaps in national trash collection and recycling systems instead of relying on product bans.
What’s Being Said
- Warning about the negative economic ripple effects of the policy, MAN Director-General Segun Ajayi-Kadir stated that the proposed regulation could disrupt industrial production, threaten jobs, and impose significant costs on both manufacturers and consumers.
- Explaining where the focus should be shifted, Ajayi-Kadir added that plastic pollution is fundamentally a waste management challenge, noting that the problem lies not in the material itself but in inadequate waste management infrastructure and enforcement mechanisms.
What’s Next
- Industrial factory owners will hold talks with environment ministry officials to present data on expected machinery adjustment costs.
- Government regulators will review the request to see if an independent economic and employment impact assessment will be granted before enforcement begins.
- Trade unions and consumer protection groups will monitor how potential packaging cost increases might impact the retail prices of daily goods.
Bottom Line
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria has urged the government to pause its planned ban on thin single-use plastics, warning that the policy lacks data and will spike costs for factories and small vendors, while arguing that fixing trash collection and recycling is a better solution.
 has called on the federal government to suspend its proposed ban on ...){kind=link}