The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria has urged the Federal Government and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency to suspend a proposed ban on single-use plastics below 80 microns. The association says the measure, contained in the planned National Environmental (Plastic Waste Control) Regulations 2026, could damage local manufacturing, raise consumer costs and weaken Nigeria’s industrial competitiveness if introduced without further assessment.

The proposed regulation would prohibit production and use of single-use plastic products below the 80-micron threshold and apply taxes to shopping bags with wall thicknesses between 30 and 50 microns. While the policy is intended to reduce plastic pollution, MAN argues that the approach is premature and not sufficiently supported by public evidence on its likely economic and environmental impact.

For Nigeria’s packaging sector, the debate highlights the tension between urgent plastic waste reduction and the realities of domestic manufacturing capacity. Plastic packaging supports a wide value chain covering petrochemicals, food processing, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, retail, logistics and recycling. A sudden change in material specifications could require new machinery settings, higher resin consumption and additional capital investment across many converters.

Plastic regulation can only succeed when it combines environmental ambition with practical transition plans for manufacturers, recyclers, retailers and consumers.

MAN Director-General Segun Ajayi-Kadir warned that an 80-micron rule would require substantial changes in manufacturing processes, machinery configurations and raw material consumption. The association said this could make existing investments obsolete, increase production costs and expose producers to capital losses. These costs may then be passed on to consumers already facing inflation and reduced purchasing power.

The association also raised concerns for small businesses and informal traders, many of whom depend on affordable lightweight packaging for food, retail and daily commerce. If packaging costs increase sharply, market traders, food vendors and small retailers could face higher operating expenses, with wider implications for household welfare and business survival.

MAN’s position is not a rejection of sustainability goals. The association says it supports action against environmental pollution and better waste management, but believes Nigeria should first implement measures already identified through the 2024 Plastic Circularity Roadmap. That roadmap, developed through the National Plastic Action Partnership and the Federal Ministry of Environment, focuses on collection systems, recycling infrastructure, Extended Producer Responsibility and public awareness.

• Industrial risk: converters may need costly equipment changes and higher raw material inputs.
• Consumer impact: more expensive packaging could raise prices for basic goods and services.
• Circularity gap: stronger collection, sorting and recycling systems are needed before broad bans are imposed.

The association argues that plastic pollution is primarily a waste management challenge rather than only a production problem. In its view, the main weakness lies in inefficient collection, sorting, recycling and disposal of post-consumer waste. Without stronger recovery systems, bans may shift materials or create informal market activity without delivering measurable environmental gains.

MAN also called for evidence from previous restrictions on single-use plastics. It said there is no publicly available assessment showing whether earlier measures reduced pollution, improved recycling rates, changed consumer behaviour or strengthened waste collection. The association said policy should be based on measurable outcomes and stakeholder consultation rather than assumptions.

International experience is also part of the debate. MAN pointed to mixed outcomes from bans in countries such as Kenya, Bangladesh, South Africa and India, where some measures were associated with factory closures, job losses or continued circulation of banned products through informal channels. It contrasted this with countries that have relied more heavily on Extended Producer Responsibility and recycling investment.

The proposed ban therefore creates a strategic question for Nigeria’s packaging industry: should regulation focus first on material thickness, or on building the circular systems that allow plastics to be collected and reused as resources? A balanced approach could include stronger EPR enforcement, recycling infrastructure, recycled-content targets, design-for-recycling rules and phased timelines for material transition.

MAN is asking NESREA and the Federal Government to suspend the ban pending a comprehensive Regulatory Impact Assessment, evaluation of previous restrictions, full implementation of the Plastic Circularity Roadmap and the creation of a broad stakeholder working group. For packaging producers, the outcome will shape investment, material choices and the future of affordable packaging in Nigeria.

Image concept: a Nigerian plastic packaging manufacturing facility with thin shopping bags, recycling bales, policy documents, EPR symbols and workers discussing a transition plan toward circular packaging systems.