June 17, 2026
By Yinka Kolawole
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has faulted the proposed implementation of the National Environmental (Plastic Waste Control) Regulations 2026 by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), warning that the measures could have far-reaching consequences for the country’s manufacturing sector and economy.
Under the proposed regulations, NESREA plans to prohibit the production and use of single-use plastic products below 80 microns in thickness, impose taxes on shopping bags with wall thicknesses between 30 and 50 microns, and restrict several other plastic products listed in the Eleventh Schedule.
The association called on the Federal Government to suspend implementation of the proposed regulations pending a comprehensive Regulatory Impact Assessment. It maintained that plastic pollution should be addressed primarily through improved waste collection, sorting, recycling, and disposal systems, while ensuring a balance between environmental sustainability and economic development.
