A meeting between the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and protesting union members over its enforcement of the ban on alcoholic beverages sold in sachets and small PET bottles ended on Thursday without a breakthrough, as both sides failed to agree on terms, local officials say.

Members of the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE) presented their grievances to representatives of NAFDAC’s Director-General during closed-door talks at the agency’s Lagos office in Isolo. The union is demanding a rethink of how the ban is being implemented and has repeatedly called for production lines and factories that were sealed under the policy to be reopened.

Protesters have maintained a picket line outside the agency’s office since earlier in the week, blocking workers from gaining full access to the premises and disrupting normal operations. They are insisting that NAFDAC shift its focus from outright prohibition to stronger regulation of sachet alcohol, especially limiting access to children, and conduct more public education on responsible consumption.

The union warned that ongoing enforcement of the ban could have serious economic consequences for workers and the wider industry, including job losses and financial strain on families, and argued that a full ban on sachet and small-bottle alcoholic products was an excessive approach.

NAFDAC officials, however, told the union delegation that the agency has not received any official government directive to suspend enforcement of the policy and that its actions remain within its statutory mandate to protect public health. The agency reiterated its stand that current regulations aim to curb easily accessible alcohol products that pose health risks while respecting legal authority granted under the law.

As the meeting concluded, no resolution was reached and union members have vowed to continue their agitation until their demands are addressed, leaving the dispute unresolved.