Nigeria’s consumer protection regulator has signed a cooperation agreement with Lagos State authorities to strengthen enforcement against unsafe products, market abuses, and unfair trade practices in Africa’s largest city economy.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency said on Thursday they had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at improving coordination on consumer protection enforcement, complaint resolution, and market monitoring.
The agreement was signed by FCCPC Chief Executive Tunji Bello and LASCOPA General Manager Afolabi Solebo at a ceremony in Lagos attended by stakeholders.
Under the framework, both agencies said they would collaborate on a range of consumer protection issues, including the removal and replacement of hazardous products, joint enforcement actions, consumer and business education, and capacity-building initiatives.
According to the agreement, the two bodies also committed to information sharing and coordinated interventions in cases where consumer harm is detected, particularly in Lagos, which they described as Nigeria’s most densely populated commercial hub.
“The parties recognise that mutual collaboration and cooperation in protecting consumers are vital to achieving an optimal, stable, and reliable goods- and services-based market,” the document stated.
A key feature of the agreement is the creation of a Joint Task Force, which will oversee implementation of the cooperation framework, monitor compliance issues, and coordinate enforcement activities where necessary.
FCCPC said the initiative reflects a broader strategy to strengthen consumer protection across Nigeria through closer alignment between federal and state-level regulators.
Speaking at the signing, Bello said Lagos plays a central role in Nigeria’s consumer economy due to its concentration of businesses, financial services, logistics operators, and digital platforms.
He said deeper collaboration between both agencies would improve complaint handling and enforcement outcomes while also strengthening market intelligence sharing.
“This MoU is an operational instrument designed to improve outcomes for citizens while providing a framework for coordinated action where legally appropriate,” Bello said, according to the statement.
He added that the FCCPC was encouraging state governments across Nigeria to strengthen their consumer protection frameworks in line with local market conditions.
For his part, Solebo said the agency had achieved significant progress in consumer protection in Lagos but stressed the need for stronger institutional collaboration.
“We cannot work in silos; we need federal might,” he said, adding that sectors such as transportation would benefit from closer regulatory coordination.
Consumer protection has become a growing policy focus in Nigeria as authorities grapple with rising complaints over product safety, service quality and misleading commercial practices across both traditional and digital markets.
The FCCPC has, in recent years, stepped up enforcement actions against companies found to be in breach of consumer protection laws, while also expanding partnerships with subnational agencies to improve coverage and response times.
