Since February 1, 2024, exactly two weeks ago, Nigerians have been thrown into another round of confusion and fear by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
On that day, NAFDAC took, perhaps the most unpopular decision since the regulatory agency was established. Like a thunderbolt, the agency dropped the terse but insensitive statement that it had banned the manufacturing, sales and consumption of alcoholic beverage drinks in Sachets and Pet Bottles.
The fact that the news was attributed to the Director General of the Agency notwithstanding, not a few Nigerians dad dismissed the pronouncement with a wave of hand.
The reason for people’s indifferent reaction is clear: The timing and the economic reality. To those of us who are following the current market trend and its dynamic, NAFDAC’s position looks absurd and unachievable, given the economic implication of the proposed ban.
As the debate over the ban continues to heat the polity, I have asked myself questions and questions and questions. Did NAFDAC take into consideration over 500,000 direct and over 5 million indirect jobs that are put on the line should the ban stand?
Did NAFDAC consider over ₦800 billion worth of investment in the sector should the ban take effect? Have stakeholders in Nigeria considered the security risk the ban would fuel should it be implemented? Have we all pause and consider the colossal loss the investors in the value chain would be facing? What of the banks who gave loans to the investors? I can’t fathom an answer to any of these questions but perhaps NAFDAC could.
It’s rather sad and disappointing that a reputable government agency like NAFDAC would take such decisions that are capable of deindustrializing the country’s industrial sector. By now, I expect that the Federal Government should have advised the agency to re-think, as this is a dangerous signal to the foreign investors, as it means that any time any day, the government would wake up and pronounce a policy that is capable of jeopardizing their investments.
While I agree with NAFDAC that substance abuse is a critical issue in Nigeria, I disagree that alcohol is the chief contributor. To me, it’s nothing but a cheap blackmail or script acting in the interest of some powerful forces in the economy. I make this conclusion because I know that NAFDAC has more to contend with in the area of regulating drugs to save Nigerians rather than taking an action that’s capable of plugging Nigeria into a more grievous economic quagmire.
As I write this, many Nigerians are dying as a result of fake drugs, with several surveys indicating that more than half of the drugs being used to treat Nigerians are fake and substandard. At various fora, debates over fake drugs have remained steadily on the front burner. As Director General of NAFDAC, the late Prof. Dora Akunyili saw the need to rid the country of the abnormal situation and faced it forthrightly. That singular act didn’t only earn her a special place in Nigeria, it became a watershed in the country’s health sector.
Unfortunately, after the exit of the former university don, none of her successors has shown interest in beaming his or her searchlight in this direction. This explains why stakeholders in the health sector celebrated the appointment of the current DG when she came on board. As the Chair of Biopharmaceutical Sciences at the same University in Illinois, who had served as Professor of Pharmaceutics and Manufacturing for over two decades at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA, USA before assuming the driver’s seat at NAFDAC, expectation was high that she would be another change agent in the sector.
Contrary to expectations, the issue of fake drugs has grown unabated. Tired of the havoc the ugly situation was causing, The Punch newspaper, in its editorial comment of Saturday, February 17, 2024, concluded that Nigeria’s shambolic healthcare delivery system was under renewed attack from several fronts.
Apart from frequent outbreaks of diseases, dependence on imported medicines and the exodus of medical professionals, the newspaper pointed out that the influx of fake and substandard drugs has become a deluge, causing illnesses, disabilities and deaths in Nigeria and other West African countries.
While calling on the government to urgently reinvigorate its strategy to protect the people from the scourge of counterfeit drugs, it made reference to a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime that underscored the consequences of the influx.
It said substandard drugs kill 500,000 persons in sub-Saharan Africa each year. As many as 267,000 deaths per year, it said, are linked to falsified and substandard anti-malarial medicines, the transnational organised crime threat assessment found. In addition, up to 169,271 deaths are linked to falsified and substandard antibiotics used to treat severe pneumonia in children.
Although the newspaper admitted that NAFDAC warned of adulterated cough syrups, antibiotics and other children’s remedies in the market, it was not mentioned anywhere that NAFDAC was committed to fight the scourge to logical conclusion.
There is no-gainsaying the fact that counterfeit drugs are a deadly and growing problem globally, particularly in developing nations where supply chain security is limited, undermining progress towards meeting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Nigeria’s case is dire.
According to the Punch editorial, while experts estimate that about 10 percent of drugs in circulation worldwide are fake, a report in Bayero University, Kano’s Journal of Basic and Clinical Sciences (2017) suggested that between 41 and 50 per cent of drugs in Nigeria were substandard.
To this end, the paper had recommended that stronger action was therefore needed to stamp out the menace. Apart from effective monitoring, it recommended that surveillance, testing, intelligence, and interdiction, special attention should be paid to disrupting the sources of the fake drugs, their conveyance routes, and their distribution outlets. Till this moment, no conscious effort has been made about this but NAFDAC has gotten the swagger to deal with manufacturers of alcoholic beverages, thereby putting the jobs of over 500,000 people on the line as well as frustrating collective direct investment of over five hundred billion naira (N500,000,000,000) in the Nigerian economy. Also to go with this proposed ban is indirect investments by other companies in the industry, which is well over Eight Hundred Billion naira (N800,000,000,000).
At a time Nigerians were expecting NAFDAC to send a strong message to China, India and other countries where fake products are coming into the country, that it will no longer tolerate being a dumping ground for killer medicines, the regulatory agency is up in arms with manufacturers who are doing legitimate business, licensed by the same agency. What an irony?
Though substance abuse is a critical issue in Nigeria, it’s mischievous to link it with alcoholic beverages in Sachets and Pet bottles. As things stand, I want to advise the Federal Government with all sense of patriotism to tread softly now as the firms producing alcohol in sachets employ people, pay taxes, and contribute to the economy. Is it not better to reconsider the decision to save the businesses of the manufacturers and protect several thousands of jobs that will be lost due to this ban? From the information in the public, the decision will affect at least 24 corporate organizations, majority of whom are indigenous companies with few multinationals currently operating in the industry and are manufacturing wines and spirits with over 70% local inputs.
While purportedly aimed at curbing alcohol abuse, this regulatory move is emblematic of a broader discourse that vilifies sachets, labeling them as dispensable and undesirable packaging formats.
However, against the backdrop of Nigeria’s economic challenges, sachets have emerged as an indispensable lifeline for both consumers and businesses, challenging the rationale behind the ban.
In Nigeria, a country characterized by economic volatility and widespread economic hardship, sachets serve as a critical conduit for ensuring access to essential products for millions of people.
The affordability and convenience offered by sachets make them a preferred choice among consumers, particularly those with limited purchasing power.
Whether it’s food items, personal care products, or household essentials, sachets allow individuals to buy in small, manageable quantities, stretching their limited budgets and meeting immediate needs without undue financial strain.
In conclusion, the NAFDAC ban on alcoholic beverages in sachets and pet bottles underscores a disconnect between regulatory intentions and economic realities.
While concerns about alcohol abuse are valid, scapegoating sachets overlook their instrumental role in Nigeria’s economy and society. Rather than condemning sachets outright, policymakers should recognize their economic utility and explore measures to address any associated social issues responsibly.
As Nigeria grapples with its economic challenges, sachets remain a symbol of resilience and resourcefulness, embodying the spirit of entrepreneurship and adaptation in the face of adversity.
Embracing sachets as an integral part of the Nigerian economy is not about condoning harmful practices but acknowledging their undeniable contribution to livelihoods and well-being. Ultimately, a nuanced approach that balances regulatory objectives with economic imperatives is essential for charting a sustainable path forward.
By Bitrus Yohana
Yohana, a Marketing Executive, writes from Lafia, Nasarawa State
Naaa – we don’t need sachet alcohol, good move by NAFDAC.