Consumer Protection Commission Resolves 9,091 Complaints, Recovers N10bn

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) said it had successfully resolved 9,091 consumer complaints in the six months from March to August 2025, recovering over N10 billion on behalf of affected Nigerians.

FCCPC said that banking and fintech services were the leading sources of consumer complaints in Nigeria between March and August 2025, with over N10 billion recovered for aggrieved customers within the period.

The Commission disclosed this in a sectoral report released in Abuja, which provided fresh data on grievances lodged through its complaint resolution platforms. The FCCPC said the dataset, covering 30 sectors of the economy, highlighted recurring patterns of consumer dissatisfaction across essential services.

According to the Commission, the banking sector accounted for 3,173 complaints, the highest during the reporting window. It explained that most cases involved loan deductions, account charges, transaction disputes, and poor redress mechanisms. The FCCPC said the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector followed with 1,543 complaints, while fintech services ranked third with 1,442. It noted that electricity supply issues attracted 458 complaints, placing the sector fourth, with billing disputes and service failures dominating the cases.

The FCCPC also reported that e-commerce generated 412 complaints, telecommunications 409, retail and wholesale shopping 329, aviation 243, information technology 131, and road transport and logistics 114. The Commission stressed that, while e-commerce disputes are generally low in monetary value, their high frequency underscores the vulnerability of consumers in the retail space, particularly in cases of failed deliveries, refund challenges, and counterfeit goods.

The regulator stated that 9,091 consumer complaints were resolved between March and August, with more than N10 billion recovered for affected customers. It emphasised that the recovery  reflected  the scale of consumer harm and the financial burden Nigerians bear when businesses fail to provide adequate redress.

Reacting to the findings, the executive vice chairman and chief executive officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, said the data reflected more than just statistics. He said, “These numbers are not just statistics; they tell the story of consumer frustration, and the daily challenges Nigerians face in essential services. However, the FCCPC is determined to hold businesses accountable, ensure compliance with the FCCPA, and promote fair market practices that protect the welfare of all consumers.”

The FCCPC added that banking and fintech dominated the volume of complaints and financial exposure, showing consumer vulnerability in essential and high-value services. The Commission said this trend signalled  an urgent need for stronger collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to deepen oversight and strengthen consumer safeguards in financial services.

On electricity complaints, the Commission explained that persistent billing disputes and service delivery failures highlighted the need for greater coordination with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), state electricity agencies, and distribution companies (DisCos).

The Commission further stated that the high incidence of disputes in digital lending, investment schemes, and microfinance coincided with the unveiling of its new regulatory framework to curb abuses in the fast-growing digital lending sector.

The FCCPC said it was  intensifying monitoring, enforcement, and inter-agency collaboration, particularly in financial and utility services where consumer exploitation had become systemic. It stressed that regulated entities should carefully study the data trends and strengthen their internal mechanisms for complaint handling to ensure timely and equitable redress.

The Commission also urged consumers to continue reporting violations through its complaint portal, complaints.fccpc.gov.ng, and its zonal and state offices. It emphasised that every report submitted helps the agency identify systemic issues, enforce compliance, and protect consumer rights under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.

The report was signed by Ondaje Ijagwu, Director of Corporate Affairs, on behalf of the Commission.

 

 

PNNEditor

PNNEditor

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *