Consumer Protection Commission Strengthens Judicial Capacity For Market Disputes

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has called for a significant enhancement of judicial capacity amid a growing wave of complex competition and consumer protection disputes. The regulator stressed that courts are central to ensuring fair market conduct, safeguarding investor confidence, and protecting consumer welfare.

The call came on Tuesday at the opening of a three-day training programme for judges, jointly organised by the FCCPC and the National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja. The programme brings together superior court justices, heads of courts, and judicial officers to strengthen engagement with Nigeria’s evolving economic regulations and equip participants to adjudicate complex cases under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.

Speaking at the event, the executive vice chairman and CEO of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, said the initiative is designed to provide judges with practical tools and legal insight necessary to handle modern competition and consumer protection disputes.

“Competition and consumer protection law often finds its most practical expression in the courtroom. It is there that the legal principles governing markets are tested, clarified, and given authoritative interpretation,” Bello said.

He explained that the training will focus on adjudicating disputes arising from market dominance, restrictive agreements, price fixing, unfair trade practices, and other anti-competitive conduct. Bello noted that cases now reaching Nigerian courts are increasingly sophisticated, often requiring judges to analyse detailed economic evidence, expert testimony, and comprehensive market data.

“The FCCPA 2018, which established the FCCPC as Nigeria’s primary authority for promoting fair competition and safeguarding consumer welfare, provides a comprehensive framework for regulating anti-competitive conduct, reviewing mergers and acquisitions, and ensuring effective consumer protection. Judicial interpretation of these provisions is central to building coherent and predictable competition jurisprudence,” he explained.

Bello further highlighted the critical need for judicial preparedness amid a rapidly evolving economic landscape shaped by digital commerce, cross-border transactions, and complex corporate structures. “It is therefore critical that judicial officers approach these issues with clarity and confidence. Constructive engagement between regulators and the judiciary ensures that enforcement and statutory interpretation evolve in a manner that is legally sound and responsive to modern markets,” he added.

He stressed that courts frequently encounter technical matters, including expert testimony, economic analyses, and detailed market data, to determine whether business conduct restricts competition or harms consumers. “It is therefore important that judicial officers remain well equipped to approach these issues with clarity and confidence,” Bello said, noting that the training is designed to strengthen institutional understanding of competition law principles.

Bello also explained that effective enforcement depends on constructive interaction between regulators and the judiciary. Regulators conduct investigations and administrative enforcement, while courts provide authoritative statutory interpretation and dispute resolution. “Constructive engagement between these institutions helps ensure that regulatory enforcement and judicial interpretation evolve in a manner that is both legally sound and responsive to the realities of modern markets,” he said.

Highlighting the judiciary’s oversight role, Bello emphasised that regulatory authority must operate within constitutional limits. “The judiciary performs the essential function of ensuring that administrative and regulatory powers are exercised in accordance with the law,” he said, adding that judicial review sustains regulatory legitimacy and public confidence.

He expressed optimism that clearer jurisprudence in competition and consumer protection law would shape market behaviour, strengthen investor confidence, and enhance consumer welfare. “As Nigeria’s markets continue to evolve, the interaction between economic regulation and judicial oversight will become increasingly significant,” Bello said.

Bello reiterated that the FCCPC remains committed to supporting judicial officers with technical expertise, legal guidance, and collaborative platforms, ensuring that Nigeria’s competition and consumer protection jurisprudence aligns with international best practices.

The three-day training programme, he explained, will provide participants with in-depth case studies, scenario analyses, and interactive sessions designed to sharpen judicial skills in competition and consumer protection law.

Participants will examine precedents, review regulatory investigations, and assess approaches to complex evidence, including market studies and expert economic reports.

Bello said it is also expected to deepen understanding and strengthen collaboration between judicial and regulatory institutions, advancing fair, efficient, and transparent markets in Nigeria.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, reinforced Bello’s message, warning that courts must prepare for a surge in competition and consumer protection litigation. She attributed this growth to digital transformation, expanding regulatory enforcement, and increased consumer awareness of their rights under the FCCPA.

Describing the FCCPC as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s regulatory architecture, Kekere-Ekun noted that the FCCPA empowers consumers to directly approach courts without exhausting administrative remedies, creating an urgent need for judicial readiness. Kekere-Ekun advocated for wider adoption of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) mechanisms to reduce pressure on court dockets and improve access to justice, especially in complex commercial matters.

Addressing emerging challenges posed by artificial intelligence and digital technologies, the CJN highlighted that these innovations are transforming markets and introducing new regulatory and adjudicatory risks.

She pointed to issues such as algorithmic manipulation, data exploitation, privacy breaches, and misinformation, stressing that judges must be equipped to interpret the law in these rapidly evolving contexts.

Kekere-Ekun commended the FCCPC’s technology-driven initiatives, including the National Digital Traceability Portal and the Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending (DEON) Regulations 2025, and urged judges to actively engage in sessions covering digital markets, fintech, data protection, and comparative competition adjudication.

Declaring the programme officially open, Kekere-Ekun expressed optimism that the training would strengthen collaboration between the judiciary and regulatory institutions, improve competition enforcement, boost investor confidence, and safeguard consumer welfare nationwide.