*** As Executive Vice Chairman, Tunji Bello Canvasses Awareness Of Competition Laws
By Miriam Humbe
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Justice Kudirat M. O. Kekere-Ekun, has described the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) as a critical institution for safeguarding Nigeria’s business environment and protecting the integrity of the marketplace.
Ondaje Ijagwu, FCCPC’s Director, Corporate Affairs disclosed this in a statement signed on Tuesday.
Justice Kekere-Ekun made the remark on Tuesday in Abuja while delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony of a three-day Competition and Consumer Protection Law Conference holding at the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Jabi, Abuja.
“As the statutory authority responsible for enforcing competition and consumer protection laws, the Commission plays a vital role in safeguarding the integrity of the marketplace,” the CJN said.
The event was attended by top judicial officers, sector regulators, legal practitioners, scholars and policy experts, including Mr. Tunji Bello, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of FCCPC; Hon. Justice M. L. Shuaibu, Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Akure Division and Hon. Justice James Gambo Abundaga.
Others were Justice of the Court of Appeal, Asaba Division; Hon. Justice A. B. Mohammed, Justice of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division; Hon. Justice B. A. Adejumo, Administrator of NJI; Mr. Louis Odion, Executive Commissioner (Operations) of FCCPC; Moyosore Onigbanjo, former Attorney General of Lagos State; Mr. Babatunde Irukera, former Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the FCCPC; and Prof. Joseph Abugu, SAN.
Stressing the strategic role of FCCPC, the Chief Justice noted that the Commission occupies a pivotal position within Nigeria’s regulatory architecture, with responsibility for promoting fair competition and protecting consumers across critical sectors of the economy.
She explained that competition and consumer protection law has become one of the most dynamic areas of legal practice globally, driven by developments in digital markets, complex corporate structures and evolving consumer protection challenges.
“Across jurisdictions, competition and consumer protection law has rapidly evolved into one of the most dynamic and litigated fields of legal practice,” she said.
According to the CJN, the increasing complexity of modern markets means that courts may witness a growing number of disputes involving competition law, regulatory enforcement and consumer rights.
She therefore stressed the importance of sustained engagement between regulatory institutions and the judiciary to ensure effective interpretation and enforcement of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.
“Continuous dialogue and knowledge exchange between regulators and the judiciary are indispensable,” she added.
In his earlier remarks, Mr. Bello emphasised the need for greater awareness and understanding of competition and consumer protection laws among regulators, businesses and the judiciary.
“Competition and consumer protection law often finds its most practical expression in the courtroom,” Bello said.
“It is there that the legal principles governing markets are tested, clarified and given authoritative interpretation.”
He explained that the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018 established a comprehensive national framework for regulating anticompetitive conduct, protecting consumer welfare, reviewing mergers and acquisitions, and strengthening market surveillance in Nigeria.
Bello observed that modern markets are evolving rapidly due to technological innovation, digital commerce, cross-border transactions and increasingly complex business structures.
“Technological innovation, digital commerce, cross-border transactions and increasingly complex corporate structures continue to reshape how markets function,” he noted.
According to him, the increasing complexity of market disputes means courts are often required to examine economic evidence, expert testimony and market data when determining whether certain conduct restricts competition or harms consumer welfare.
