The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) will begin a re-certification exercise next week, targeting what the agency termed "myriad problems" in the production of packaged water.

The agency will audit manufacturing practice of at least 30,000 water packaging plants in the country, said NAFDAC's director general Paul Orhii.

The move has received commendation from the health establishment.

Speaking at a sensitisation workshop for producers of packaged water, Minister of state for Health Muhammad Ali Pate said NAFDAC's interest in ensuring standards among producers was "not only good business, but also socially responsible."

NAFDAC is looking to build a database of all individuals under its regulation and will use the exercise to capture biometric data.

"Since starting off with water sold from buckets using cups, the business of water has moved into sachet and bottle packaging and now commands N5 billion a day," according to NAFDAC.

The agency has also raised concern about violations related with the industry, including improper use of water treatment chemicals as chlorine and production in unhygienic environment.

Meanwhile, the environment ministry is proposing a "buyback" mechanism to deal with tonnes of plastic waste from water packaging industry around the country, said Funmilayo Oyeyipo, deputy director for environmental health and sanitation.

If it goes through, manufacturers will pay labourers tokens to pick water bottles and sachets and return them to factories.

The Association of Table Water Producers of Nigeria, ATWAP, has welcomed the proposal. ATWAP president Ubi Ubi said it would keep the environment clean and provide employment.