The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has warned that the ban on Single-Use Plastics (SUPs) by the Lagos State Ministry of Environment could lead to job losses and trigger economic, operational and social consequences for manufacturers, traders, recyclers, and end users.
In a statement yesterday, Director General of MAN, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, called on the Lagos State government to reconsider the ban on SUPs set to take effect from July 1, 2025, as part of the state’s strategy to combat environmental pollution.
He said the ban was not based on credible data, lacked stakeholder engagement, and risked worsening unemployment and poverty.
According to him, banning SUPs would not resolve pollution issues but merely substitute one problem for another, especially without scalable alternatives or infrastructure to support the transition.
“It is not a plastic problem, but a waste management failure. It is the failure of plastic waste management that leads to pollution, not the material itself,” he stated.
Ajayi-Kadir cited a study commissioned by MAN which revealed that 100% of manufacturers surveyed expressed fears of job losses and workforce restructuring if the ban is implemented.
His words: “A recent MAN-supported study evaluating the possible impacts of the Lagos State SUPs ban revealed significant adverse economic, operational, and social implications across the value chain, from manufacturers to wholesalers, traders, and end users. It has been noted that only poor and developing countries often tilt towards plastic ban as a strategy to combat environmental problems.
“A hundred percent of the manufacturers consulted expressed concern over a ban-induced workforce restructuring. Thus, several jobs will be lost in the industry if this ban were to be implemented.
“It is noteworthy to mention that there is no form of arrangement for social protection for the employees who will lose their livelihoods as a result of this ban.
“Also, there has been no form of social dialogue on the part of the government with these workers or the industry on the potential job losses.”
According to him, the findings also showed that 89% of operators in the plastic value chain rely on SUPs as their primary source of income with no alternative source of livelihoods.
He added that over 75% of end users, including SMEs, depend on plastic packaging, with no affordable or practical alternatives, while 93% of dealers, many of whom are women, reported no prior information or social support mechanisms to cushion the impact.
“Nigeria should not be destroying its petrochemical industry with bans on plastics but should instead close the loop by ensuring that all plastics are recycled,” the MAN DG said.
