MAN made the call yesterday in a statement titled, “Manufacturers Association Call for the Suspension of NESREA’s Proposed Ban on Single-Use Plastics Below 80 Microns Pending Regulatory Impact Assessment.”

The association noted that the, “proposed regulation is premature, lacks sufficient empirical justification, and poses significant risks to Nigeria’s economy, industrial sector, employment landscape, and the livelihoods of millions of citizens.

The NESREA, according to MAN, “seeks to prohibit the production and use of single-use plastic products below 80 microns in thickness pursuant to Section 26(1); impose taxes on shopping bags with wall thicknesses ranging from 30 to 50 microns under Section 26(2), and restrict a wide range of plastic products listed in the Eleventh Schedule.”

Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir, the director general of MAN, noted that,

“The proposed measures could significantly disrupt industrial production, undermine investments in the plastics value chain, threaten thousands of direct and indirect jobs, and impose substantial socio-economic costs on manufacturers and consumers alike.”

 Ajayi-Kadir stated that NESREA should focus on the full implementation of the comprehensive Plastic Circularity Roadmap, which the federal government developed in 2024 through the National Plastic Action Partnership in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment.

He said the roadmap provided a strategic framework for achieving plastic waste reduction through enhanced collection systems, recycling infrastructure, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), circular economy initiatives, public awareness campaigns, and investments in waste management.

“Unfortunately, many of the critical recommendations contained in that roadmap are 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,” he said.

MAN further noted that international experience has shown that banning thin plastic bags and other thin plastic products rarely delivers the intended environmental outcomes.

It stated that “Kenya’s 2017 ban led to factory closures and job losses, yet banned bags continue to circulate through smuggling.

“Bangladesh’s 2002 ban remains largely unenforced after two decades, while South Africa and India experienced only temporary reductions before usage rebounded.”

In contrast, MAN stated that countries such as Germany, South Korea and the Netherlands have achieved high recycling rates through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems without disrupting local industry or increasing the daily cost of living.

 MAN added:

“The proposed ban raises serious concerns regarding its economic implications. Nigeria’s plastic manufacturing industry remains one of the country’s largest and most significant light manufacturing sectors, supporting hundreds of manufacturing facilities, thousands of small and medium enterprises, and an extensive value chain that stretches from petrochemicals and packaging to food processing, pharmaceuticals, retail trade, agriculture, logistics, and recycling.

“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.”

MAN further argued that international experience has consistently shown that sustainable outcomes are achieved through effective waste management systems, recycling infrastructure, circular economy initiatives, and strong enforcement of anti-littering regulations, not through blanket prohibitions alone.

It, therefore, stated that,

“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.

“The association remains committed to working collaboratively with government and all stakeholders to advance practical, science-based, and economically sustainable solutions to plastic waste management in Nigeria.

“The challenge lies not in the production of plastics, but in the inefficient collection, sorting, recycling, and disposal of post-consumer waste.”

It stated that sustainable environmental outcomes would be achieved through stronger waste management infrastructure, expanded recycling capacity, enforcement of extended producer responsibility regulation, and greater public awareness, rather than through measures that restrict production without addressing the underlying causes of pollution.

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MAN highlighted that the decision lacks sufficient data, stakeholder consultation, and could result in economic disruption, job losses, and further hardship, particularly for low-income traders and microbusinesses.

In a recent statement signed by Segun Ajayi-Kadir, the director general, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria held that the decision does not recognise the current socio-economic situation and does not provide a beneficial solution, stating that the Ministry of Environment has yet to publish any study to back the reasons for the decision.

“The decision is predicated on the unsubstantiated claim that plastics, and especially some single-use plastics (SUPs) are associated with adverse health and environmental impact and therefore need to be banned. The Ministry is yet to publish any study to substantiate this claim,” the statement reads.

The association highlighted that the adverse environmental and social impacts are a result of failure in plastic waste management, and not plastic products themselves.

Emphasizing that the state government needs to support improved plastic recycling with infrastructure, leasing of lands as dumpsites for sorting at scale to enable adequate recycling.

Citing a recent study by the association, hundred percent of the manufacturers consulted expressed concern over the ban, as it will lead to job loss if implemented.

Also, 93 percent of dealers lack clarity on the policy due to inadequate information. While highlighting loss of revenue and compromise to product integrity as some of the implications of the ban.

MAN advised that a systems-oriented approach should be adopted, which will include inclusive stakeholder engagement, evidence-based policymaking, and support for local alternatives, which balance environmental goals with Nigeria’s socio-economic realities.

*Motunrayo Koyejo is a software engineer specialising in fintech solutions for emerging markets. With a passion for leveraging technology to drive financial inclusion, she contributes insights to Africa’s digital transformation. She currently works as a senior software engineer at Cowrywise

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