Courts key to shaping fair markets, boosting investor confidence — FCCPC

Judicial interpretation of competition and consumer protection laws will play a crucial role in shaping market conduct, strengthening investor confidence and protecting consumers in Nigeria, regulators have said.

The Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Tunji Bello, said clear and principled court decisions are essential to ensuring that businesses operate within fair and transparent market rules.

Mr Bello spoke on Tuesday in Abuja during the opening ceremony of a judicial training programme organised by the National Judicial Institute in collaboration with the FCCPC.

According to him, the development of strong legal precedents in competition and consumer protection disputes will help shape business behaviour and strengthen Nigeria’s economic environment.

“The development of clear and principled jurisprudence in competition and consumer protection law will help shape market behaviour, strengthen investor confidence and protect the welfare of Nigerian consumers,” he said.

Courts shaping market conduct

Competition and consumer protection law often finds its most practical expression in the courtroom, Mr Bello noted, explaining that courts play a central role in interpreting regulatory provisions governing markets.

“It is there that the legal principles governing markets are tested, clarified and given authoritative interpretation,” he added.

Nigeria’s competition framework is anchored on the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018, which established the FCCPC as the country’s primary authority for promoting fair competition and protecting consumers.

The law provides the framework for addressing anti-competitive practices, unfair trade conduct, merger control and market surveillance across sectors of the economy.

Mr Bello said regulators and courts in Nigeria are increasingly dealing with disputes arising from evolving market practices, particularly in sectors influenced by digital commerce, technological innovation and cross-border transactions.

“These developments raise new legal and economic questions relating to market dominance, restrictive agreements, price fixing, unfair trade practices and the protection of consumer rights,” he said.

He added that many of the cases coming before courts involve complex economic evidence and business practices that require careful legal interpretation.

Protecting market integrity

In her remarks, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, said the FCCPC plays a vital role in protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s markets.

According to her, the commission helps safeguard consumers and businesses from anti-competitive conduct that could distort market outcomes.

“The Commission serves as a bulwark against anti-competitive practices, market distortions and unfair business conduct that undermine consumer confidence and economic stability,” she said.

Mrs Kekere-Ekun noted that competition regulation promotes transparent and efficient markets that encourage innovation, productivity and sustainable economic growth.

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She also highlighted emerging challenges in modern markets, including digital platforms, data exploitation and artificial intelligence-driven systems that are transforming market dynamics. While these technologies offer efficiency and innovation, they also pose risks such as data misuse, algorithmic manipulation, and privacy concerns, the CJ added.

She encouraged judges to familiarise themselves with these emerging issues to ensure informed and balanced adjudication in cases affecting businesses and consumers alike.

The training programme, running from March 10 to 12 at the National Judicial Institute in Abuja, aims to equip judicial officers with knowledge on digital markets, fintech regulation, and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms relevant to competition and consumer protection law.