The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) on Tuesday launched an enforcement operation at Utako Market in Abuja, sealing shops allegedly involved in the fraudulent rebagging of local rice into premium foreign brands such as Mama Gold and Stallion, among others—brands that, according to the Commission, are no longer officially sold in the Nigerian market.
The raid was led by FCCPC’s director of surveillance and investigation, Mrs Boladale Adeyinka was based on what she described as “credible intelligence” from brand owners and market sources.
“These traders are deliberately deceiving consumers by putting cheaper or unknown-quality rice into branded sacks,” Adeyinka said during the operation. “They pass these off as trusted, premium brands to profit significantly. It’s a deceptive and unfair trade practice.”
She added that the Commission views the scheme as a coordinated cartel operation aimed at exploiting consumer trust and demand for imported rice despite an official halt in selling such brands within the country.
“For example, Mama Gold stopped selling rice in Nigeria in 2015. Yet, traders are repackaging local rice into these foreign-branded bags to deceive consumers who still crave imported rice,” Adeyinka said.
According to her, this practice not only cheats consumers but also threatens legitimate businesses trying to compete fairly in the market.
She warned that those found culpable could face prosecution under the FCCPC Act, which prohibits misleading representations and other unfair market practices.
“The owners of these brands have publicly notified consumers that they no longer bring these rice products into Nigeria. Despite this, cartels flood the market with repackaged local rice in foreign-branded sacks,” Adeyinka added.
She emphasised that consumers deserved value and safety for their money and stressed that rebagging local rice into premium brand sacks amounts to criminal misrepresentation and could endanger public health.
“This practice is not just unethical—it’s exploitative,” she said. “It undermines the economic interests of consumers and erodes public trust in the marketplace.”
During the operation, the FCCPC seized large volumes of repackaged rice and shut several shops allegedly linked to the scheme. Adeyinka said the Commission intends to trace the entire supply chain to identify the key producers and suppliers behind the rebagging network.
“We will continue to evacuate and remove these deceptive products from the market and hold perpetrators accountable,” she added.
She urged consumers to avoid purchasing rice from unverifiable sources or compromised packaging.
