The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria has raised the alarm that the planned ban on single-use plastics in Lagos State will wipe out the livelihoods of over 89 per cent of operators in the plastic value chain.
The Director-General of MAN, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, issued the warning in a statement on Monday, calling on the Lagos State Government to halt the ban and instead adopt more inclusive and evidence-based solutions.
Ajayi-Kadir said, “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.
“Over 89 per cent of operators in the plastic value chain depend on the trade of these SUPs as their main source of income, with no alternative source of livelihood, thus indicating that there will be a potential loss of livelihoods on the part of these dealers and their staff.”
He added that 100 per cent of manufacturers consulted in the study expressed concern that the policy would trigger mass workforce restructuring.
