The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have signed a fresh Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate on the faster resolution of consumer complaints.
The MoU was signed between the Commission’s CEO, Mr. Tunji Bello, and the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, at a ceremony attended by Nairametrics.
The legal document (MoU) was agreed upon by both institutions in their respective bids to ensure the effective and efficient discharge of their functions for the benefit of consumers and business operators in affected sectors.
According to the MoU seen by Nairametrics, the parties, where practicable, agreed to notify each other of any investigations relating to complaints or issues concerning the safety and quality of food, drugs, chemicals, medical devices, packaged water, cosmetics, and detergents.
Such notification is expected to be provided no later than ten working days prior to the proposed commencement of the investigation.
Furthermore, the parties agreed to use their best endeavours to coordinate investigations in order to maximize efficiency, optimize the use of resources, and avoid duplication of effort.
In the event that a dispute arises between the two institutions, the MoU states that such disputes shall be addressed through mutual consultations and engagement between the Chief Executive Officers of the parties, and their decisions shall bind all concerned.
Speaking at the event, Bello maintained that a harmful product that reaches the market is not only a public health concern under NAFDAC’s remit, but also a consumer protection issue for the FCCPC.
He added that the same applies to false advertising of regulated products, which typically requires input from both bodies.
For businesses, he advised that compliance remains essential, noting that a more coordinated regulatory approach will make enforcement more predictable and consistent.
On her part, Adeyeye explained that home-grown rules ought not to differ from international standards when it comes to consumer protection.
She said the MoU is extremely important for the nation because consumers should not be taken for granted.
She highlighted how an unnamed merchant enterprise the Commission had complained against quickly made amends immediately after the issue was reported to the FCCPC.
She disclosed that many issues have been clarified in this new version of the MoU, assuring that consumers’ rights to complain will be addressed promptly.
In 2022, the FCCPC and NAFDAC signed an MoU to collaborate and strengthen statutory engagement.
The former CEO of the FCCPC, Babatunde Irukera, SAN, had said the MoU was timely.
According to him, food and drugs constitute a key first-line issue in consumer protection.
NAFDAC had, in March this year, partnered with the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the FCCPC to launch a nationwide enforcement campaign against the sale and distribution of sachet alcohol and alcoholic beverages in bottles below 200 millilitres.
The development was disclosed in a press release signed by the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye.
Enforcement of the ban on sachet alcohol took effect in January, following a directive by the Nigerian Senate aimed at safeguarding public health and curbing underage drinking.