By Adekoya Samson, Abuja
The Association for Table Water Producers of Nigeria (ATWAP) has urged lawmakers to consider practical alternatives before implementing a nationwide ban on single-use plastics, warning that the policy could disrupt water supply and increase illegal production.
Mrs. Clementina Ativie, a representative of ATWAP, made the appeal while presenting her address at a one-day public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the Preparedness for the Single-Use Plastic Ban in Nigeria at the National Assembly.
Speaking on behalf of table water producers across the country, Ativie said the association represents more than 45,000 indigenous water producers operating across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, and local government areas.
She explained that the packaged water industry, including sachet and bottled water, plays a vital role in providing affordable drinking water for millions of Nigerians, particularly low-income households.
According to her, a sudden ban on single-use plastic packaging without viable alternatives could lead to unregulated water production and serious public health risks.
“If you ban water production without an alternative, you will introduce illegal production where there will be no traceable address, no identity, and no regulatory oversight,” she said, warning that such a development could lead to the spread of waterborne diseases.
Ativie also highlighted the sector’s role in employment generation, noting that the industry provides jobs for thousands of Nigerians, many of whom lack formal education and depend on the sector for their livelihoods.
She urged lawmakers to adopt a gradual approach to environmental reforms by focusing on recycling initiatives and developing affordable alternatives to plastic packaging.
According to her, ATWAP already has nationwide structures that could support recycling programs, including systems to recover used nylon packaging through distributors and customers.
She stressed that recycling remains the most practical option for now until affordable and widely available alternatives to plastic packaging are developed.
The public hearing forms part of the House of Representatives’ efforts to evaluate Nigeria’s readiness for a potential ban on single-use plastics and to gather input from stakeholders across the manufacturing, environmental, and public health sectors.
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