By Kikelomo Okere
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has described the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission as a critical institution for safeguarding Nigeria’s business environment and protecting the integrity of the marketplace.
Delivering the keynote address at the opening of a three-day Competition and Consumer Protection Law Conference at the National Judicial Institute in Abuja, the Chief Justice said the Commission plays a vital role in enforcing competition and consumer protection laws in the country.
Justice Kekere-Ekun noted that the FCCPC occupies a strategic position within Nigeria’s regulatory framework, with responsibility for promoting fair competition and protecting consumers across key sectors of the economy.
She explained that competition and consumer protection law has become one of the most dynamic and litigated areas of legal practice globally, driven by developments in digital markets, complex corporate structures and evolving consumer protection challenges.
The Chief Justice added that courts are likely to witness an increase in disputes involving competition law, regulatory enforcement and consumer rights as modern markets continue to evolve.
She therefore called for sustained collaboration between regulatory agencies and the judiciary to ensure effective interpretation and enforcement of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018.
Earlier, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, stressed the need for increased awareness of competition and consumer protection laws among regulators, businesses and the judiciary.
Bello noted that competition law often finds its most practical expression in the courtroom where legal principles governing markets are tested and interpreted.
He explained that the FCCPA 2018 established a comprehensive national framework for regulating anti-competitive conduct, protecting consumer welfare and strengthening market oversight in Nigeria.
According to him, rapid technological innovation, digital commerce and cross-border transactions are reshaping market operations and increasing the complexity of disputes brought before the courts.
The conference attracted top judicial officers, regulators, legal practitioners, scholars and policy experts from across the country.
