The standoff between labour unions and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) entered its seventh day on Thursday, as members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), and the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB) staged a protest at the agency’s Isolo office in Lagos.
Protesters, chanting “No work for us, no work for you,” blocked access to the office from approximately 7:00 a.m., preventing staff from entering the premises for nearly two hours.
Operations were temporarily suspended until officers from the Nigeria Police Force, Odi-Olowo Division, intervened, reopening the entrance by around 11:00 a.m. The protest remained peaceful, with no reports of violence.
Union officials affirmed that their demonstration would persist until their grievances are fully addressed, including the reopening of sealed factories and the reversal of subsequent staff dismissals.
“This is Day 7, and we are not backing down. We will continue until our concerns are acknowledged,” Jeffery Igein, National Secretary of FOBTOB said, reflecting the sentiments of the hundreds of workers gathered outside the office.
The industrial action follows NAFDAC’s enforcement of a ban on sachet alcohol and 10cl PET bottled products, which has led to the closure of numerous indigenous factories, depots, and warehouses across the country.
During the protest, TUC Secretary, Comrade Anthony Oyaga condemned the enforcement under Director-General Mojisola Adeyeye, describing it as unfair and economically harmful.
“Indigenous manufacturing facilities are being shut down indiscriminately. Factories, depots, and warehouses, including those storing lawful products unrelated to the banned items, are being sealed. This is not regulation; it is deliberate economic strangulation,” Oyaga said.
The unions highlighted the impact of the shutdowns, warning that job losses are affecting families and creating financial strain for workers. The ripple effects, they argued, extend to transporters, raw material suppliers, distributors, retailers, market vendors, artisans, warehouse staff, and logistics operators.
“An economy cannot thrive when industries are closed instead of being properly regulated,” Oyaga added. The unions also cautioned that prolonged closures could exacerbate youth poverty, increase social vices, and pose national security concerns.
FOBTOB called for urgent intervention from President Bola Tinubu, the National Assembly, state governors, traditional leaders, religious authorities, and civil society organizations.
“We are not criminals. We are workers, producers, parents, and taxpayers. We are Nigerians,” the statement read.
The unions are demanding the immediate reopening of affected factories, depots, and warehouses, emphasizing the need for structured dialogue and regulatory measures rather than punitive action.
