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By Merit Ibe
The Spirits and Wines Association of Nigeria (SWAN), has urged journalists to join in the fight against illicit alcohol trade in Nigerian markets.
Director General, SWAN, Tony Okwoju, made the plea at the Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria (BJAN)’s round table, which focused on combating illicit alcohol trade in Nigeria recently.
SWAN is an umbrella body of producers, importers and marketers of spirits and wine alcoholic beverages in Nigeria.
At the session, the SWAN DG engaged with the media on the association’s role in supporting the industry through appropriate reporting of illicit trade activities to protect the industry and safeguard the health of consumers while highlighting the economic implications to the government through revenue losses.
Okwoju noted that an upcoming One-Day Workshop scheduled to hold on April 22, 2026, where enforcement agencies, and other critical stakeholders are expected to engage on how to combat illicit trade in Nigeria.
According to SWAN, made up of notable companies as members, the surge in counterfeit products constitutes a significant tripartite threat in Nigeria: depletes government revenue, jeopardises billions in private sector investment and undermines public health.
Okwoju reinforced the fact that Nigeria currently loses an estimated N472 billion every year to illicit trade, accounting for 40% of the market share in Nigeria.
According to him, this is in addition to the health risks associated with the consumption of the adulterated products.
“Illegal manufacturers are increasingly using methanol, a toxic industrial alcohol used instead of ethanol, to concoct fake spirits. Methanol has no colour or flavour, which makes it particularly difficult to detect in drinks.
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“Unlike ethanol, methanol is unfit for human consumption and can lead to permanent blindness, organ failure, or immediate death.
“These counterfeiters are not just faking brands, they are killing people,” the SWAN DG stated.
While pointing out that low awareness of the dangers associated with illicit trade and lack of stringent enforcement has allowed this dangerous trade to thrive in major commercial hubs, the SWAN boss listed some measures the association has adopted to sanitise the industry, including aggressive recycling of used bottles to starve counterfeiters off their primary tools.
“Criminal syndicates are known to scavenge high-end dumpsters and bars to collect empty branded bottles, which they subsequently refill with low-quality, toxic mixtures.
“To counter this, major manufacturers are now deploying teams to bars and nightclubs across Nigeria to retrieve and crush their own empty glass containers.
“Although the initiative cost organisations more money, these bottles are then sent to specialised recycling plants, to ensure they cannot be reused by illicit traders,” Okwoju noted.
The April 22 stakeholders forum Okwoju said aims to bring together key stakeholders, including various regulatory agencies and government parastatals to proffer solutions to the rise in counterfeit alcoholic beverages in Nigeria.
In his remarks, BJAN Chairman, Daniel Obi, said the monthly breakfast roundtable is an avenue for the companies, brands and association to directly engage the media on pressing issues affecting the industry with the aim of proffering solutions.
“Today’s engagement provides a valuable platform for dialogue, an opportunity to exchange ideas, strengthen relationships, and explore ways we can collectively enhance industry standards, improve public perception, and support responsible consumption across the country.
“We believe that through collaboration with organizations like SWAN, we can amplify positive narratives and contribute meaningfully to national development,” he added.
