The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has called on the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Federal Government to suspend the proposed implementation of the National Environmental (Plastic Waste Control) Regulations 2026, particularly the planned ban on single-use plastic products below 80 microns in thickness, pending the conduct of a comprehensive Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA).
MAN expressed concern that the proposed regulations, which seek to prohibit the production and use of certain plastic products, impose taxes on shopping bags with wall thicknesses between 30 and 50 microns, and restrict a broad range of plastic products, could have far-reaching consequences for Nigeria’s manufacturing sector, employment, investments, and overall economic competitiveness.
Speaking on the development, the Director General of MAN, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, mni, said the Association fully supports efforts to address environmental pollution and promote sustainable waste management but cautioned against policy measures that may undermine industrial growth without adequate evidence of their effectiveness.
“Environmental sustainability is a shared national objective, and manufacturers remain committed to supporting practical solutions that reduce plastic pollution. However, the proposed regulation is premature and risks imposing severe economic and social costs without sufficient empirical justification or a clear assessment of its likely impact on industry, jobs, investment, and consumer welfare,” Ajayi-Kadir stated.
The Association noted that the Federal Government, through the National Plastic Action Partnership (NNPAP), had already developed a Plastic Circularity Roadmap in 2024 in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment. The roadmap outlines a comprehensive strategy for reducing plastic waste through improved collection systems, recycling infrastructure, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), circular economy initiatives, public awareness campaigns, and targeted investments in waste management.
According to MAN, many of the roadmap’s critical recommendations are yet to be fully implemented, making it difficult to justify the introduction of a new prohibition regime without first evaluating the effectiveness of existing measures and agreed policy interventions.
“Public policy must be evidence-based. To date, there is no publicly available assessment demonstrating the environmental outcomes of previously restricted plastic products in Nigeria. Before introducing additional prohibitions, government should evaluate what has worked, what has not worked, and why,” Ajayi-Kadir added.
The Association also highlighted lessons from international experience, noting that countries that relied primarily on bans often experienced limited long-term success due to weak enforcement, smuggling, and the persistence of consumer demand. Conversely, countries such as Germany, South Korea, and the Netherlands achieved significant environmental gains through robust recycling systems and Extended Producer Responsibility frameworks without disrupting local industries.
MAN warned that the proposed 80-micron threshold could render existing manufacturing investments obsolete, increase production costs, weaken competitiveness, and threaten thousands of direct and indirect jobs across the plastics value chain.
“Nigeria’s plastics industry supports hundreds of manufacturing facilities and thousands of small and medium enterprises. It plays a critical role in packaging, food processing, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, logistics, retail trade, and recycling. Policies that significantly increase production costs or discourage local manufacturing could accelerate deindustrialisation and increase dependence on imports at a time when the country is pursuing industrialisation and economic diversification,” Ajayi-Kadir said.
The Association further noted that the additional costs arising from the proposed regulations would likely be passed on to consumers, small businesses, market traders, and informal sector operators who depend on affordable packaging solutions for their daily operations.
MAN stressed that plastic pollution is fundamentally a waste management challenge rather than a production challenge.
“The challenge lies not in the production of plastics but in the inefficient collection, sorting, recycling, and disposal of post-consumer waste. Sustainable environmental outcomes will be achieved through stronger waste management infrastructure, expanded recycling capacity, effective enforcement of Extended Producer Responsibility regulations, and greater public awareness—not through restrictions that fail to address the root causes of pollution,” Ajayi-Kadir emphasized.
Accordingly, MAN called on NESREA and the Federal Government to:
Suspend implementation of the proposed ban on single-use plastics below 80 microns pending a comprehensive Regulatory Impact Assessment;
Conduct an independent assessment of the environmental, economic, social, fiscal, and employment implications of the proposed regulation;
Evaluate the effectiveness of previously implemented plastic restrictions before introducing additional prohibitions;
Fully implement the recommendations contained in the 2024 NNPAP Plastic Circularity Roadmap;
Strengthen the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework and accelerate investments in recycling and collection infrastructure; and
Establish a broad-based stakeholder working group comprising government agencies, manufacturers, recyclers, academia, consumer groups, environmental organisations, and development partners to develop an evidence-based transition strategy.
Ajayi-Kadir reiterated MAN’s commitment to working collaboratively with government and stakeholders to develop practical, science-based, and economically sustainable solutions to Nigeria’s plastic waste management challenges.
“Nigeria can achieve environmental sustainability without sacrificing industrial growth, employment, investment, and economic competitiveness. The path forward lies in balanced regulation that protects the environment while supporting local industry and national development objectives,” he concluded.
