The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on consumer protection enforcement and the replacement of hazardous products in Lagos, among other areas.
The MOU was signed between the Commission’s CEO, Mr. Tunji Bello, and the General Manager of LASCOPA, Afolabi Solebo, at a ceremony attended by Naijaonpoint.
The legal document stipulates that both parties 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.
According to the MOU seen by Naijaonpoint, the parties, in recognition of their joint and mutual responsibilities, are to ensure the 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, including but not limited to 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.
Regarding funding, unless otherwise mutually agreed, each party shall provide its own funding or other necessary financial support toward achieving the objectives of the MOU.
Speaking at the event, Bello said 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 added that the state is also a place where regulatory innovation is both necessary and consequential.
For his part, Solebo stated that LASCOPA was created by legislators to address citizens’ rights.
He added that the agency has achieved a lot for the state but emphasised that “we cannot work in silos; we need federal might.”
He explained that transportation is one area where collaboration between the parties is important and within the purview of the FCCPC.
LASCOPA is the government body responsible for protecting consumer rights and promoting fair trade practices in Lagos State.
The disclosure was made by the agency’s General Manager, Afolabi Solebo, during a roadshow held in Lagos to commemorate World Consumer Rights Day.
