The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) have formalised a partnership aimed at strengthening consumer protection and promoting fair business practices across Nigeria, with a focus on Lagos as the country’s commercial hub.
The collaboration was sealed through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Abuja, signalling a renewed push to tackle harmful market conduct and improve redress mechanisms for consumers operating in increasingly complex markets.
Speaking at the signing, FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman, Tunji Bello, emphasised the evolving scope of consumer protection, noting that it now spans multiple sectors critical to everyday life. “Consumer protection is no longer a narrow subject. It now touches nearly every aspect of modern life,” he said.
He outlined key areas impacted, including transportation, healthcare, housing, digital services, financial transactions, e-commerce, product safety, and advertising practices. According to him, consumers across these sectors expect fairness, accountability, and accessible channels for resolving grievances.
Bello also pointed to the growing complexity of consumer complaints, driven by cross-sector and cross-jurisdictional issues, which require coordinated regulatory responses. “As markets become more sophisticated, complaints also become more complex. Consumers now face issues that cut across jurisdictions and sectors. This reality requires regulators to be coordinated, responsive, and forward-looking. That is why this partnership matters,” he stated.
He added that while the FCCPC has continued to enforce compliance, investigate harmful practices, and provide complaint channels, effective consumer protection cannot be centrally driven from Abuja alone. Many consumer issues, he explained, are localised and require swift intervention at the state level.
“They are local in character, immediate in effect, and often require rapid intervention. State institutions are therefore indispensable partners in building a credible and accessible consumer protection framework across the federation,” Bello said.
Highlighting Lagos’ strategic importance, he described the state as a dynamic economic centre with a high concentration of consumers, businesses, and digital enterprises. He noted that the presence of the FCCPC’s South West Zonal Office in Lagos provides a foundation for seamless collaboration between both agencies.
The MoU is designed to enable practical cooperation between FCCPC and LASCOPA, covering areas such as information sharing, complaint referrals, joint consumer education programmes, capacity building, and coordinated enforcement actions where necessary.
Bello stressed that the agreement is not symbolic but operational. “It is not merely a ceremonial document. It is an operational instrument designed to improve outcomes for citizens,” he said, adding that consumers should benefit from quicker response times, clearer complaint pathways, and improved awareness of their rights.
He further disclosed that the FCCPC is encouraging states across the federation to strengthen their consumer protection frameworks in line with local realities, signalling a broader push for decentralised regulatory effectiveness.
In his remarks, the General Manager of LASCOPA welcomed the partnership, describing consumer protection as a shared responsibility. “We are all consumers, and when we are saddled with that responsibility, it is a grace to protect consumers,” he said.
He also commended the FCCPC for facilitating the collaboration and noted that LASCOPA’s jurisdiction has recently been expanded to better safeguard consumer interests in Lagos, ensuring that residents receive value for money in goods and services.
The partnership is expected to serve as a model for federal-state cooperation in consumer protection, particularly in fast-growing urban markets where regulatory agility is increasingly critical.
