Tag: FCCPC

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has announced that it recovered over N10 billion for aggrieved customers through the complaints it received and resolved across key sectors.

The commission said the recovery covered consumer grievances, ranging from unfair charges, service failure, unauthorised deductions, deceptive marketing, poor disclosure of terms, product defects, and failure to provide redress within acceptable timelines.

A statement by its Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, said the data covered cases lodged with the commission between March and August and compiled from its complaint resolution platforms.

The statement said the date provided insight into the patterns and prevalence of consumer dissatisfaction across 30 sectors.

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It said: “The total number of complaints resolved during the reporting period was 9,091, while total recoveries for consumers exceeded N10 billion, reflecting both the scale of harm experienced and the significant financial burden borne by consumers in the absence of effective redress.

“The top 10 sectors by number of complaints received between March and August 2025 were led by banking (3,173 complaints), followed by Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FCMG) (1,543), fintech (1,442), and electricity (458).

“Other notable sectors included e-commerce (412), telecommunications (409), retail/wholesale/shopping (329), aviation (243), information technology (131), and road transport and logistics (114).

“The publication of sector-specific complaint data aligns with the Commission’s mandate under Sections 17(a), 17(j) of the FCCPA 2018, which empower it to enforce consumer protection laws and make information on its functions available to the public.”

Reacting to the findings, FCCPC’s Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer Tunji Bello said the numbers were not just statistics but a story of consumer frustration and the daily challenges Nigerians face in essential services.

He said the FCCPC remained determined to hold businesses accountable, ensure compliance with the FCCPA, and promote fair market practices that protect the welfare of all consumers.

“With 458 reported complaints, the electricity sector ranks fourth overall, behind banking, financial services, and FCMG, highlighting persistent billing disputes, service delivery failures, and the need for stronger coordination between the FCCPC, NERC, state electricity regulatory agencies, and electricity distribution companies (DisCos).

“The E-commerce disputes are relatively low-value but high-frequency, signalling broad consumer exposure at the retail level. While average monetary losses per complaint are low, the volume and recurrence of disputes (deliveries, refunds, counterfeit goods) reveal e-commerce as a growing consumer pain point,” Bello said.

A report of the high incidence of disputes linked to digital lending, investment schemes, and microfinance services coincided with the unveiling of a new regulation by FCCPC to curb abuses in the digital lending sector.

The commission said it was intensifying monitoring, enforcement, and collaboration with sector regulators to address these concerns.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has announced that it recovered more than ₦10 billion for aggrieved consumers between March and August 2025, following complaints lodged across 30 sectors of the economy.

According to updated data released by the Commission, the recoveries stemmed from grievances such as unfair charges, unauthorized deductions, service failures, deceptive marketing, defective products, and delays in redress.

In a statement signed by its Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, the FCCPC confirmed that 9,091 complaints were resolved during the reporting period. Banking topped the list with 3,173 complaints, followed by fast-moving consumer goods (1,543), fintech (1,442), and electricity (458). Other sectors included e-commerce (412), telecoms (409), retail/wholesale (329), aviation (243), IT (131), and transport/logistics (114).

Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the FCCPC, Mr. Tunji Bello, said the figures highlight widespread consumer frustration, particularly in financial services.

Read Also: FCCPC, Enugu to go tough on food adulteration

“These numbers are not just statistics; they reflect the daily struggles Nigerians face in essential services. We remain committed to holding businesses accountable and ensuring fair practices,” he said.

The Commission noted that banking and fintech dominate both in volume and financial exposure, underscoring systemic issues in loan deductions, account charges, and transaction disputes. Electricity complaints ranked fourth, with billing disputes and poor service delivery continuing to plague consumers.

E-commerce disputes, though lower in monetary value, were flagged as high-frequency concerns around refunds, counterfeit goods, and failed deliveries.

The FCCPC also linked the rising complaints about digital lending and microfinance services to the recent rollout of new regulations to curb sector abuses.

It urged regulated entities to strengthen internal complaint mechanisms and encouraged consumers to keep reporting violations via its complaint portal and zonal offices.

Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has warned against rising cases of food adulteration and unsafe practice. The agency said no nation can prosper while endangering health of its citizens.

It spoke at a one-day sensitisation on food quality standards, safety, regulation, and fair business practice in Enugu.

Executive Vice Chair, Olatunji Bello, said the commission was concerned about the menace of chemically ripened fruits, adulterated palm oil, contaminated meat, and unsafe grains.

Bello, represented by the aDirector of Quality Assurance and Development, Dr. Nkechi Mba, said: “Food is not merely a commodity; it is a fundamental right.

“Unsafe food endangers lives and undermines trust in markets, disrupts trade, and damages businesses. Any operator who places profit over public safety will face the law.”

Some dangerous practice, he said, include use of calcium carbide for forced ripening, toxic additives, such as bromate and Sudan red colorant, and poor hygiene across the value chain – from farms to markets.

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Bello stressed that the agency was working with National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, and states to enforce food safety laws through surveillance, education, sanctions, and others.

FCCPC Director of Consumer and Business Education, Mr. Yahaya Kudan, restated the commission’s commitment to empowering consumers and stakeholders with the knowledge to make informed choices and advocate for safer practice.

Enugu State Commissioner for Agriculture, Patrick Ubru, said food contamination is a threat to health and development.

He warned that unsafe agricultural practice and poor storage methods could lead to frequent hospital visits for consumers and rejection of Nigeria’s agro-products in international markets.

“Health is wealth, and what you eat determines your productivity,” Ubru noted. “We cannot overlook this challenge. Preventing food contamination requires joint responsibility — not only from government but from every farmer, vendor, and consumer.”

All digital lenders operating in Nigeria have been directed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to register with it within three months.

Failure to do so will attract up to N100 million fine or one percent of such firm’s annual turnover, as well as their closure or ban of their directors.  

The requirement is one of the new rules listed in a gazette by the FCCPC. The gazette is known as the  Digital, Electronic, Online, or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations (DEON Consumer Lending Regulation) 2025.

The new set of laws by the commission is aimed at addressing rising consumer complaints against digital lenders such as  Mobile Money Operators (MMOs), Digital Money Lenders (DMLs) and their service partners.

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FCCPC said in a statement by its   Corporate Affairs Director, Ondaje Ijagwu, that the legal document, which became effective on  July 21, 2025, is in line with Sections 17, 18, and 163 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (2018).

Ijagwu quoted the commission’s Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, as explaining that the Gazette establishes a comprehensive framework to safeguard consumers.  

According to the statement, Bello restated FCCPC’s determination to stem exploitative practices, data privacy violations, and harassment of consumers by unregulated digital lending operators.

 The statement partly reads: “For too long, Nigerians have endured harassment, data breaches, and unethical practices by unregulated digital lenders. These regulations draw a clear line that innovation is welcome, but not at the expense of the rights and dignity of consumers or the rule of law.

“These Regulations provide the legal tools to hold violators accountable and promote responsible digital finance. No consumer should be harassed, defamed, or lured into unsustainable debt under the guise of digital lending.” 

Such issues include exploitative practices, data privacy violations, abusive loan recovery tactics, harassment, as well as anti-competitive behaviour by some digital lenders and their partners. 

“This framework mandates transparency, fairness, responsible conduct, data privacy, and accessible redress mechanisms, all under the oversight of the FCCPC. It is a crucial step toward regulating Nigeria’s rapidly expanding digital lending sector,” the commission added.

The regulations make it mandatory for all digital lenders to be transparent,  make their loan terms clear, deploy ethical recovery methods, and respect consumer privacy.

Besides,  the new rules prohibit automatic lending, unethical marketing, and anti-competitive agreements.

They also mandate at least one locally-owned service provider for airtime and data lending services.

The FCCPC   advised aggrieved consumers to report unlawful or unregistered lenders, unfair interest rates, or privacy violations via its complaint portal at lenderstaskforce@fccpc.gov.ng.

…rolls out tough new regulations

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has officially gazetted new regulations governing digital and non-traditional lending in Nigeria, effective July 21, 2025.

Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Tunji Bello, said the Digital, Electronic, Online, or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations (DEON Consumer Lending Regulation), 2025 create a robust legal framework to register, monitor, and sanction all digital lenders.

According to a statement signed by Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, Bello stressed that Nigerians have for too long endured harassment, data breaches, and unethical practices by unregulated digital lenders. He added that while innovation is welcome, it must not come at the expense of consumer rights and dignity.

Under the new rules, all digital lenders must register with the FCCPC within 90 days, meeting strict consumer protection, transparency, and data compliance standards.

Read Also: FCCPC bars facility firm from forcing services on residents

Defaulters face penalties, including fines of up to ₦100 million or 1% of turnover, as well as potential director disqualification for up to five years.

The regulations prohibit automatic lending, mandate fair interest rates, require transparent loan terms, ban unethical marketing, and compel local ownership for airtime and data lending providers. All partnerships between lenders must be jointly registered, while monopolistic agreements require prior FCCPC approval.

The FCCPC urged Mobile Money Operators (MMOs), Digital Money Lenders (DMLs), and service partners to visit its website for application forms and compliance guidelines.

Consumers are encouraged to report illegal lenders, unfair rates, or privacy violations via the Commission’s complaint portal: [lenderstaskforce@fccpc.gov.ng](mailto:lenderstaskforce@fccpc.gov.ng).

Bello described the regulations as a landmark step toward safeguarding consumers and ensuring responsible growth in Nigeria’s fast-expanding digital credit market.

The Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has barred Peachville Platinum Facility Management (PPFM) Limited from forcing its services on members of the Peachville Estate Residents Association (PERA), Abuja.

The agency ordered PPFM to “cease and desist from enforcing any clause that compels residents or allottees to subscribe to PPFM’s services as a condition for property ownership or occupancy”.

FCCPC further directed the company to “desist from any acts of coercion or service disconnection arising from residents’ refusal to engage PPFM’s services.”

It ordered PPFM to “immediately provide PERA and all affected residents with a clear statement of all service charges levied from August 2024 to date, with an explanation of the basis and justification for each.”

The company is also directed to “acknowledge PERA as the representative body of the Peachville Estate community for all matters of collective interest, consistent with Nigerian law,” and to “take necessary steps to amend its service engagement model to comply with the provisions of the FCCPA, 2018.”

The company and its executive director and/or affiliates “shall comply with this order within seven business days of receiving this notice,” FCCPC ordered.

“Take Notice that if the Executive Director, Peachvillc Platinum Limited of Plot 844 Jabi — Airport Road, Dakibiyu District, Abuja and/or affiliates fail to comply with this Notice, the Commission shall have recourse to Section 150 (4) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018,” the agency added.

A copy of the FCCPC Compliance Notice, addressed to the PPFM Executive Director, was obtained yesterday.

It was signed by the Head of Legal Services, Chizenum Nsitem, and dated August 12, 2025.

FCCPC acted on a consumer complaint from PERA against PPFM regarding allegations of “coercive and anticompetitive imposition of PPFM as a mandatory facility manager, unjustified service charges, and failure to deliver satisfactory services, including power, water, security, and internet access”.

The agency stated that the complaint was received on August 8, 2024, following which it engaged both parties in mediation and correspondence between August 2024 and February 2025.

FCCPC said: “PPFM gave assurances to address the deficiencies identified by residents but failed to fully resolve the substantive issues, especially those concerning forced service tie-ins, accountability, and residents’ freedom of choice.

“Between March and May 2025, the Commission received repeated complaints from PERA detailing PPFM’s continued enforcement of a service regime alleged to violate competition law principles and consumer rights.

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“Despite further inquiries and an official request issued in April 2025 for clarifications on service charges and PERA’s legal status, PPFM failed to provide any justification for the price increases, denied PERA’s authority and reportedly resorted to coercive tactics, including disconnection threats, against dissenting residents.

“The Commission considers this conduct a direct violation of Section 59 of the FCCPA 2018, which prohibits restrictive and anti-competitive agreements.

“The requirement that residents must accept PPFM’s services as a precondition for property acquisition constitutes a ‘tying arrangement,’ which is specifically disallowed under the Act.

“Furthermore, the Commission found that the continued imposition of nonnegotiable service terms, opaque billing, and lack of performance monitoring amounted to unfair, unreasonable, and unjust contract terms, contrary to Sections 127-129 of the FCCPA 2018.

“PPFM’s attempt to deny PERA’s legal standing was also found to be unsubstantiated.

“The Commission notes that PERA is duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, and in line with the Supreme Court’s decision in Famakinwa v. Oloja Estate Residents Association [20161 LPELR-41066 (SC), a residents’ association may lawfully represent all residents in a community, regardless of individual membership.

“By the provisions of Section 155 of the FCCPA 2018, ‘except where otherwise provided for in this Act, any person who contravenes any consumer right commits an offence and in the case of a natural person, liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or to payment of fine not exceeding N10,000,000.00 or to both the fine and imprisonment; in the case of a body corporate, is liable on conviction to a fine of not less than N100,000,000.00 or 10 per cent of its turnover in the preceding business year, whichever is higher; and in the case of a body corporate, each director of the body corporate is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or to payment of fine not exceeding N10,000,000.00 or to both the fine and imprisonment.”