When Governor Zulum said “No more alcohol,” he didn’t just mean party’s over — he may have pulled the plug on a whole industry.
On the surface, the Borno alcohol ban looks like a moral and security-driven decision — a bold move to curb crime, cultism, prostitution, and all those “after-hours activities” your Sunday school teacher warned you about.
But scratch beneath the surface, and you’ll see that this isn’t just about bottles — it’s about businesses, livelihoods, and survival in an already volatile economy.
So, what exactly happens when a government bans booze in a place where people were just starting to rebuild?
Here are 5 negative impacts local businesses might face — some serious, some hilarious, all real.
1. The Bar Industry? Dead On Arrival
Let’s start with the obvious: bars, lounges, and clubs are now officially ghost towns.
Imagine investing in a new sound system, plush leather seats, and a freezer full of Orijin and Gulder — only to be shut down overnight.
And no, “mocktail night” won’t save the day. Nobody goes to a bar to sip pineapple juice in silence while dodging morality patrols.
2. Hospitality Industry Could Be Next On The Chopping Block
Hotels in Maiduguri and its environs already deal with security threats and low tourism. Now, take away their bar services — one of the few profit-making attractions — and you’re left with glorified lodges.
Let’s be real: many hotels survive on “weekend packages,” which often include a bottle or two, some smoky fish, and “adult companionship.”
With alcohol out of the picture, those adult conversations might just end early… or never start at all.
3. Small Shops And Hawkers? Bottoms Up
While supermarkets may survive on bread and Milo, local shops and kiosks often rely on alcohol sales to balance the books.
That elderly woman selling sachet gin and soft drinks at the bus stop? She’s not just hustling — she’s feeding a family. Now, her biggest seller is gone.
And let’s not even talk about kunu-wrapped in suspicion, or the rising black market for “cough syrup” that suddenly doubles as a nightcap.
4. Event Planners Might As Well Start Booking Monks
Weddings. Birthdays. Naming ceremonies. What’s a Nigerian party without “table one” and that uncle who insists on “one for the road”?
With alcohol off the menu, event vendors, caterers, decorators, and hype men are all about to feel the pinch.
Also Read: “No More ‘Shayo’ In Borno”: Governor Zulum Declares War On Alcohol, Brothels, And Criminal Hideouts
Expect a rise in dry weddings — and we’re not just talking about the weather.
5. Rise Of The Black Market
History has shown us one thing: prohibition creates a new hustle. If you think alcohol will disappear in Borno, think again.
What’s more likely is a surge in black-market booze, fake spirits, and “coded deliveries.”
Soon, we may be seeing “bottle boys” on delivery bikes, passing off Hennessy like contraband in brown envelopes — think Uber Eats, but for your sins.
Bad for public health. Worse for legitimate businesses.
Good Policy, Bad Timing?
While the intent behind Governor Zulum’s alcohol ban may be noble — reducing crime, tackling addiction, restoring moral values — the economic cost is already becoming clear.
Borno is still recovering from years of insurgency. Now, entrepreneurs who invested in nightlife, tourism, and local trade must suddenly pivot or perish.
Can morality-driven governance coexist with economic reality?
Or are we watching the slow moral sterilization of an already fragile state economy?
