FCCPC, Lagos Consumer Agency Move Against Unfair Trade Practices

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has joined forces with the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) to address consumer protection challenges, including price tagging, product labelling, and return and refund obligations.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement held in Ikeja on Wednesday, FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman, Mr. Tunji Bello, said consumer confidence remains vital to sustaining economic activities in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub.

The engagement, organised in partnership with LASCOPA, brought together regulators and business operators to discuss measures aimed at ensuring fair and transparent market practices.

Represented by the FCCPC’s South-West Coordinator, Olubumi Otti, Bello noted that millions of transactions occur daily across markets, supermarkets, shopping malls, neighbourhood stores, and online platforms in Lagos.

He stressed that consumers must be assured that advertised prices are accurate, product information is reliable, and their rights to refunds, replacements, or repairs are respected where applicable.

According to him, trust in the marketplace encourages consumer spending, promotes fair competition, and helps businesses build lasting relationships with customers.

Bello explained that the engagement focused on three critical issues—price tagging, minimum labelling requirements, and return and refund obligations—which he described as fundamental to consumer confidence and responsible business practices.

He added that the FCCPC’s approach prioritises stakeholder engagement and education, noting that businesses are more likely to comply with regulations when they clearly understand their responsibilities.

The FCCPC boss emphasized that displaying prices is not merely good business practice but a requirement of fairness, stating that consumers should know the cost of products before making purchasing decisions.

He further highlighted the importance of collaboration in consumer protection, noting that no single institution can effectively regulate the marketplace in isolation.

“The partnership between FCCPC and LASCOPA demonstrates our shared commitment to ensuring consumers enjoy adequate protection while businesses operate in a fair, transparent, and predictable environment,” he said.

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Earlier, the General Manager of LASCOPA, Mr. Afolabi Sholebo, said the engagement underscored a collective determination to build a marketplace founded on transparency and trust.

He noted that regulatory agencies across the country have intensified enforcement actions against unfair trade practices, including failure to display prices, sale of expired products, misleading product information, and refusal to honour legitimate refund requests.

Sholebo reminded businesses that compliance with consumer protection laws is not optional but a legal obligation under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018, and the Lagos State Consumer Protection Law, 2025.

He added that beyond legal compliance, adherence to consumer protection standards reflects responsible business conduct and contributes to a healthier business environment for all stakeholders.