FCCPC, LASCOPA sign MoU to deepen cooperation, provide framework for information sharing

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) to deepen cooperation between the two institutions. 

The MoU also provides a framework for information sharing, complaint referrals, joint consumer education initiatives, capacity development, market intelligence exchange, and coordinated action where legally appropriate.

FCCPC’s Executive Vice Chairman Tunji Bello signed the MoU on behalf of the commission. He said the pact is not a mere ceremonial document but an operational instrument designed to improve outcomes for citizens.

The FCCPC boss explained that through this collaboration, consumers would be able to experience quicker responses, clearer pathways for complaints, stronger awareness of their rights, and better coordination between federal and state authorities.

Signing the MoU between the two institutions in Abuja, Bello said the event was significant because it reflected a shared commitment to improving the daily experience of consumers and strengthening fair business conduct through practical institutional cooperation.

He said: “The FCCPC is committed to encouraging states across the federation to enact, strengthen, or renew their consumer protection legal frameworks in ways that reflect local realities and peculiar market conditions. Businesses should also benefit from more consistent engagement, clearer expectations, and a stronger culture of fair dealing.

“While national standards are important, each state also faces distinct challenges requiring tailored responses. Strong state-level consumer protection institutions, working in harmony with federal regulators, will significantly improve confidence in the Nigerian marketplace. This is the model we seek to advance.

“Consumer protection is no longer a narrow subject. It now touches nearly every aspect of modern life. It concerns transportation, food, housing, healthcare, digital services, financial transactions, e-commerce, product safety, pricing transparency, advertising practices, and the quality of essential services. In each of these areas, citizens expect fairness, accountability, and accessible redress where things go wrong.”

The FCCPC boss noted that as markets become more sophisticated, complaints also become more complex.

He said 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,” Nello added..

The FCCPC was established under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018, to promote competition, protect consumers, and ensure fair market practices across Nigeria. Since then, the commission has pursued its mandate through enforcement actions, market surveillance, consumer complaint resolution, advocacy, and sustained public education.

The commission has continued to engage businesses on compliance obligations, investigate harmful market practices, encourage voluntary corrective action where appropriate, and provide consumers with channels through which they can seek redress, at the same time, we recognise that effective consumer protection cannot be delivered from Abuja alone.

Many consumer issues arise within states and communities. 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.

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Bello said Lagos State occupies a unique position in this regard.

The FCCPC boss stressed that as Nigeria’s leading commercial hub, Lagos is home to an enormous concentration of consumers, businesses, digital enterprises, logistics networks, financial activity, and service providers.

“It is a dynamic and fast-moving market. It is also a place where regulatory innovation is both necessary and consequential.

“Having served Lagos State in the past, I understand the scale, energy, and complexity of the terrain. I also understand that public institutions must constantly adapt to keep pace with the realities of such an environment. It is also important to note that Lagos hosts the Commission’s South West Zonal Office.

“This provides a strong institutional foundation for practical, day-to-day collaboration between the FCCPC and LASCOPA. I, therefore, encourage close operational cooperation at that level, particularly in the areas of complaint handling, intelligence sharing, consumer education, and coordinated interventions where necessary.

“The work of LASCOPA is, therefore, important, timely, and worthy of commendation,” he said.

The General Manager of Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency, Afolabi Solebo, noted that the signing of the MoU was historic, though long overdue. Solebo said LASCOPA was born from the idea and vision of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu in 1999.

The agency chief said it started as a unit under the state’s Directorate of Citizens’ Rights and the Ministry of Justice.

“We started in 2018 and have achieved a lot. We cannot work in silos; we need the federal body to do and achieve something, which is why we are here for the signing of this MoU,” he said.