Photo: SWAN leadership
The Spirits and Wines Association of Nigeria (SWAN) called the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and other stakeholders for stronger regulation of the wines and spirit industry in Nigeria.
The association is made up of notable organisations including Bacardi, Brian Munro Limited, Diageo, Guinness Nigeria, Moët Hennessy, Nigerian Bottling Company, Nigerian Breweries, Pernod Ricard Nigeria and William Grants & Sons.
At a workshop held in Abuja during the week, the Managing Director of Pernod Ricard and President of SWAN, Michael Ehindero, lamented that counterfeiting, smuggling and illegal production of the products are seriously affecting genuine people in the business.
He acknowledged that it is a global challenge that cuts across multiple sectors in the consumer goods industry, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, tobacco, cosmetics, and alcohol, with significant consequences for public health, government revenues, and economic development.
According to him, counterfeiters are increasingly replicating trusted brands, producing and distributing illicit products outside regulated systems, while smuggling and parallel imports continue to bypass safety checks and taxes.
Also speaking at the event, the SWAN Director-General, Tony Okwoju, called for stronger stakeholder-led enforcement against illicit trade due to its impact on lives, legitimate business and government revenue.
Providing a global perspective, the Managing Director of the Alliance Against Counterfeit Spirits (AACS), David Francis, highlighted the increasing sophistication of counterfeit operations, noting that fake packaging materials are often mass-produced abroad and shipped into local markets.
