The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) have signed a strategic partnership to enhance consumer rights enforcement and promote fair market practices across commercial capital.

The signing ceremony took place in Abuja yesterday, with the FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman, Tunji Bello, describing the memorandum of understanding (MoU) as a crucial step towards strengthening institutional coordination in an increasingly complex marketplace.

Bello emphasised that consumer protection now encompasses multiple sectors, including transportation, digital services, finance, healthcare and e-commerce.

The sectors necessitate regulators to adopt more coordinated and responsive approaches, he said.

“Consumer issues today transcend jurisdictions and sectors. This reality demands regulators who are not only proactive but also collaborative,” he said.

Bello explained that while the FCCPC, established under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, has intensified enforcement, market surveillance and consumer education, effective protection cannot be solely driven from Abuja.

He pointed out that many consumer disputes are localised and require prompt, state-level interventions.

Bello highlighted Lagos’ strategic importance as Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre. Its dense concentration of businesses, digital platforms and financial activities makes it a focal point for consumer protection challenges and innovation, he noted.

The FCCPC boss urged closer operational collaboration through its South-West Zonal Office in Lagos. He specifically called for improved complaint resolution, intelligence sharing and joint enforcement actions.

The MoU establishes a framework for information and intelligence sharing, complaint referrals, joint resolution, consumer education campaigns, capacity building and coordinated regulatory interventions.

Bello emphasised that the agreement is not ceremonial, but an operational tool designed to expedite complaint resolution, enhance redress mechanisms, and raise consumer awareness.

General Manager of LASCOPA, Afolabi Solebo, traced the agency’s evolution from a modest unit conceptualised in 1999 to a fully operational state institution.

Solebo stated their goal is to ensure consumers receive value and satisfaction for the services they pay for.

Solebo welcomed recent judicial backing affirming FCCPC’s authority to investigate airline-related consumer complaints, noting that the ruling strengthens the enforcement synergy between federal and state regulators.

He added that with this collaboration, they are better positioned to protect consumers and decisively tackle exploitative practices, including extortion.