Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has sealed deal with the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) on consumer protection enforcement and the replacement of hazardous products in Lagos.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Commission’s CEO, Mr. Tunji Bello, and the General Manager of LASCOPA, Afolabi Solebo.
Part of the terms of agreement stipulates that both parties must recognise that mutual collaboration and cooperation in protecting consumers are vital to achieving an optimal, stable, and reliable goods- and services-based market, consistent with their respective mandates.
The parties, in recognition of their joint and mutual responsibilities, are expected to facilitate effective, efficient, and coordinated discharge of their respective functions for the benefit of consumers and business operators in Lagos State.
On the scope of the MOU, the parties agreed to cooperate and collaborate in discharging their respective functions with respect to consumer protection such as information sharing, complaint resolution (including providing relief to affected consumers or communities and the replacement of hazardous products), consumer and business education, training, and capacity development.
Both agencies will also ensure compliance monitoring and enforcement of consumer protection laws and subsidiary legislation, as well as undertake joint initiatives strictly related to consumer protection matters.
To achieve the objectives of the MOU, the parties agreed to establish a Joint Task Force (JTF) for the management, monitoring, and implementation of the scope of the MOU or any activity.
The commission's CEO stated that Lagos, being Nigeria’s leading commercial hub, is home to an enormous concentration of consumers, businesses, digital enterprises, logistics networks, financial activity, and service providers.
He encouraged close operational cooperation between the FCCPC and LASCOPA, particularly in the areas of complaint handling, intelligence sharing, consumer education, and coordinated interventions where necessary.
Bello described the MOU as an operational instrument designed to improve outcomes for citizens while providing a framework for market intelligence exchange and coordinated action where legally appropriate.
He said that 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.
The General Manager of LASCOPA informed that his agency was created by legislators to address citizens’ rights.
Solebo noted that LASCOPA has achieved a lot for the state but emphasised that they cannot work in silos, hence the need for partnership at the Federal level.
He disclosed that transportation is one area where collaboration between the parties is important and within the purview of the FCCPC.
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