….Over N10bn recovered – FCCPC
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) says Nigerian consumers lodged more than 9,000 complaints across 30 sectors between March and August 2025, with banking, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), and financial technology (fintech) companies topping the list.
According to updated data released by the commission on Thursday, banking accounted for 3,173 complaints, followed by FMCG (1,543), fintech (1,442), and electricity (458).
Other sectors that featured prominently were e-commerce (412), telecommunications (409), retail/wholesale/shopping (329), aviation (243), information technology (131), and road transport and logistics (114).
The FCCPC said a total of 9,091 cases were resolved during the reporting period, while consumer recoveries exceeded N10 billion, reflecting the financial toll of unfair charges, service failures, unauthorised deductions, product defects, and deceptive marketing practices.
The watchdog noted that banking and fintech complaints were dominated by financial impact, underscoring recurring disputes over loan deductions, account charges, and failed transactions.
FCCPC said the trend points to consumer vulnerability in high-value services and the urgent need for stronger coordination with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Electricity, which ranked fourth, was linked to persistent billing disputes and service failures, highlighting the need for closer collaboration with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), state regulators, and distribution companies (DisCos).
While e-commerce disputes were lower in value but higher in frequency, the FCCPC said they revealed “broad consumer exposure at the retail level,” particularly around deliveries, refunds, and counterfeit goods.
The commission also flagged the rising number of complaints around digital lending, investment schemes, and microfinance services, adding that it coincided with its recent rollout of stricter rules for the digital lending sector.
Going forward, the FCCPC said it will intensify monitoring and enforcement, focusing on financial services and utilities, where recurring patterns of exploitation remain most pronounced.
The commission urged companies to use the data to strengthen their internal complaints-handling systems. “Resolving consumer grievances promptly and fairly is the first line of accountability”.
Speaking on the record, Tunji Bello, executive vice chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of the FCCPC, said the data is “not just statistics; they tell the story of consumer frustration and the daily challenges Nigerians face in essential services”.
Bello said the commission is determined to hold businesses accountable, ensure compliance with the law, and protect the welfare of consumers.
