SWAN urges sustained crackdown on counterfeit alcoholic products

By AAdebola Muili

The Spirits & Wines Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has called for sustained collaboration between regulatory agencies and industry operators to strengthen the fight against counterfeit alcoholic products and protect consumers from potentially harmful beverages.

The Association said recent seizures and arrests linked to illicit alcohol trade across the country underscored the importance of coordinated enforcement, intelligence sharing and stronger partnerships among government agencies, manufacturers, distributors and other stakeholders.

SWAN’s Director General, Mr. Tony Okwoju, stated this in a statement made available to journalists, noting that collaboration among enforcement agencies, industry players and intelligence partners was helping to identify and disrupt networks involved in illicit trade.

He described illicit trade as a major concern with serious implications for consumer safety, government revenue and the survival of legitimate businesses, stressing that the progress recorded through joint enforcement efforts needed to be sustained.

The Association also disclosed that its member companies continued to invest in brand protection, market surveillance and intelligence gathering to support efforts to identify and tackle the circulation of counterfeit alcoholic products.

It added that members were pursuing environmental initiatives, including glass recovery projects, to encourage responsible waste management while reducing the availability of empty bottles that could be reused for illicit refilling and counterfeiting.

SWAN further urged the media to exercise caution when reporting enforcement operations involving alcoholic products, warning that failure to distinguish counterfeit products from genuine brands could mislead consumers and undermine confidence in legitimate businesses.

The Association stressed the need for accurate reporting to ensure that enforcement actions against illicit products did not inadvertently damage the reputation of established brands that maintained quality and safety standards.

It also advised consumers to buy alcoholic beverages from trusted and authorised retail outlets, ensure that packaging and seals remained intact, and report suspicious products or suspected illicit trading activities to the appropriate authorities.

According to SWAN, a coordinated approach involving government agencies, manufacturers, retailers, distributors, the media and consumers remained crucial to protecting public health, preserving government revenue, safeguarding legitimate businesses and jobs, and maintaining confidence in established brands.

As part of efforts to deepen stakeholder cooperation, the Association said it had organised a workshop earlier in the year to examine the challenges posed by illicit trade in the alcohol industry and identify practical ways to strengthen collective action.

The workshop brought together representatives of government, regulatory and enforcement agencies, the media, the diplomatic community, the legislature and industry operators to discuss measures for addressing the problem.

SWAN reaffirmed its commitment to supporting enforcement agencies through stakeholder engagement, intelligence sharing and consumer education, maintaining that sustained cooperation among all parties was necessary to achieve lasting results.

The Spirits & Wines Association of Nigeria represents businesses involved in the manufacture, importation, distribution and marketing of spirits, wines and other alcoholic beverages in the country. It also promotes responsible drinking and legitimate business practices within the sector.