Sanwo-Olu, Fall Advocate Protection Of Consumer Rights For Sustainable Business Growth

The Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and QNET’s regional manager for sub-Saharan Africa, Mr Biram Fall, have advocated for the protection of customer rights for sustainable growth and development in the economic value chain, especially in this technological age, where it is becoming increasingly difficult to tell the real from the fake,

They made the call at a conference and exhibition with the theme: “Fair and Responsible AI for Consumers”, organised by Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA), to commemorates the 2024 World Consumer Rights Day in Lagos.

In his remarks, the regional manager at QNET, Fall, who was represented by QNET’s senior regional legal counsel for Sub Sahara Africa, Nana Quartey, said Consumer Rights Day is a reminder that consumers have the right to be protected from unfair business practices, with access to safe, quality goods and services, especially in this time of technology age.

“Today highlights the importance of governments, businesses, and stakeholders working together to promote consumer rights and address consumer concerns globally, especially in this technological age where it is becoming increasingly difficult to tell the real from the fake,” Fall averred.

Speaking on QNET’s commitment to consumer rights protection, Fall disclosed that, “At QNET, we are deeply committed to protecting the rights of our customers and promoting a culture of transparency, integrity, and trust.

“Through initiatives such as educational campaigns and awareness programs, we strive to empower consumers with the information they need to navigate the marketplace confidently. We also recently launched two campaigns, the social awareness campaign and the Say No Campaign. These campaigns perfectly reflect QNET’s commitment to transparency, integrity, and consumer empowerment.

“QNET has further implemented robust grievance redressal mechanisms to address customer concerns promptly and effectively. In response to the prevalence of fraud cases misusing our brand name, a comprehensive fraud-proofing strategy has been implemented to ensure our integrity. These include proactive steps, such as the Electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) initiative wherein every distributor promoter of our products must verify their identity in our system with a government issued ID.

“We also publish warnings and notices on our corporate website and blog to enhance security and disseminate crucial information. In addition to these, we have launched a dedicated Complaint Mechanism (via email and WhatsApp) that provides avenues for our customers and distributors/promoters to engage with us on matters that affect their rights as customers.”

These collective efforts, according to QNET’s regional manager, underscored QNET’s dedication to creating a secure business environment for its customers and at the same time, collaborate with the authorities in holding fraudsters accountable.

He, therefore, urged stakeholders to continue advocating for consumer rights within their communities, adding that, “By promoting education and awareness, we can empower consumers to make informed choices and hold businesses accountable for their actions.”

In the same vein, the governor of Lagos state, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has given stakeholders his word that his administration will keep fostering an environment that allows for fair competition, defends consumer rights, and aids in the growth of small and medium-sized businesses.

In addition to urging consumers and producers to cultivate an enduring partnership rather than relationships that could obstruct sustainable growth and development in the economic value chain, the governor repeatedly stressed that mutual understanding between consumers and producers underscored the symbiotic and interdependent relationship that existed between the two entities within any economy.

He asserted that the call was essential because it represents a wider understanding of the interdependence of economic actors and the necessity of peaceful exchanges in order to solve problems, innovate, and adjust to shifting market dynamics. “Consumers and producers are not adversaries but rather partners in a complex economic ecosystem. While consumers rely on producers to supply goods and services, producers, in turn, depend on consumer demand to drive their businesses forward,” he added.

Earlier in his welcome address, Mr Afolabi Solebo, General Manager LASCOPA, said that developers and companies must prioritize ethical considerations in ensuring that AI benefits the society as a whole.

Solebo noted that responsible AI involved transparency and accountability. According to him, consumers deserve to know how their data is being used and have the right to understand the decisions made by AI systems.