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By Daniel Adaji
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has begun a series of sensitisation exercises across key markets in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to tackle unfair price fixing, deceptive trade practices, and consumer exploitation.
The initiative, which aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, focuses on Kuje, Kwali, Abaji, and Gwagwalada Area Councils, and is part of a broader national campaign to protect consumers and ensure fair competition.
Representing the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Commission, Mr. Tunji Bello, at the Market Engagement Forum held Tuesday, in Abuja, Mrs. Bridget Etim, Principal Consumer and Business Education Officer, said the FCCPC is stepping into the markets not to punish but to collaborate with traders and protect both consumers and honest businesses.
“This is where consumer protection must begin: on the ground, in the markets, among the people. Markets like this are the heartbeat of our economy,” Bello said.
He noted that the Commission is particularly concerned about the illegal practice of price fixing, where trader groups or associations agree to sell goods at inflated prices, rather than allowing competition or actual supply costs to dictate prices.
“Such conduct directly contravenes the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018,” he said.
Bello warned that the FCCPC would no longer tolerate deceptive practices such as the rebagging of expired or substandard goods, inaccurate measurements, and the sale of counterfeit products.
He cited recent enforcement actions, including the sealing of shops in Utako Market in April 2025 after the discovery of fake rice being sold as premium foreign brands.
“We are here to educate, but also to collaborate. Real protection comes from mutual understanding, shared responsibility, and deliberate action,” Bello said.
Chairman of the Market Association in Kwali Area Council, Sani Ibrahim, welcomed the FCCPC’s presence and described the engagement as long overdue.
“We truly appreciate this day. The government has remembered us coming to us, standing with us, and showing support. For a long time, there has been no form of assistance. We’ve had no government support for our businesses, and it shouldn’t be that way,” he said.
He urged the government to continue engaging directly with traders, saying, “We need government backing guiding us, showing us the way, and helping us grow.”
Bello emphasised that the Commission will continue to act against market infractions while supporting honest traders through training, public education campaigns, and partnerships with market associations.
“If you sell fairly, give accurate information, and treat your customers with respect, you are already helping us do our job,” he said.
The FCCPC urged market participants to report illegal practices such as fake products, short measures, and collusive pricing, assuring that all reports would be treated with strict confidentiality.
“Nigeria cannot grow if her markets are broken. But when our markets are fair, competitive, and transparent, everybody wins, the buyer, the seller, and the economy,” he said.