Plastic Ban in Lagos Could Trigger Mass Job Losses, MAN Warns
By IDNN Business and Policy Desk
Lagos, Nigeria — The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has issued a dire warning that the upcoming ban on Single-Use Plastics (SUPs) by the Lagos State Government could result in widespread economic and employment disruption.
The ban, set to take effect July 1, 2025, was announced by the Ministry of Environment as part of a new environmental strategy.
But MAN says the plan is ill-prepared, poorly consulted, and risks destroying an entire value chain.
“Not a Plastic Problem — a Management Failure”
MAN Director-General, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, said:
“It’s not the material that’s the problem — it’s the waste management system. This is a circular economy failure, not a pollution crisis.”
According to a commissioned industry survey:
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100% of manufacturers expect workforce restructuring
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89% of value chain actors depend entirely on plastic
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75% of SMEs use SUPs as their main packaging
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93% of women dealers had no advance notice or safety net
Recycling Undermined, Alternatives Scarce
Nigeria’s recycling rate for plastics remains below 15%, and alternatives like paper or kenaf are costlier and unavailable at scale.
MAN urged Lagos to suspend the ban, invest in sorting and recycling infrastructure, and adopt the existing National Plastic Action Roadmap which encourages private-public solutions rather than blanket prohibition.