Lagos Consumer Agency Warns Businesses Over Ignored Complaint Hearings

LASCOPA chief executive Afolabi Solebo issued the warning while speaking to journalists on 13 October, according to Nairametrics’ report He urged manufacturers, retailers and service providers in Lagos State to comply with the Lagos State Consumer Protection Law 2025, as amended, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018.

The warning puts a focus on the process businesses are expected to follow after a complaint is filed. It does not mean every complaint automatically leads to a penalty: regulatory action depends on the facts, applicable law and the agency’s enforcement powers.

Practices that could attract enforcement

Solebo said the agency may act against unfair trade practices, misleading advertisements, deceptive pricing, hidden charges, poor service delivery and the manufacture or sale of substandard, counterfeit or unsafe products. The potential measures cited in the report include fines, enforcement orders, suspension of operations, prosecution and sealing premises where the law permits it.

For businesses, the practical implication is that a complaint should be handled as a matter requiring a timely response rather than ignored. Keeping clear pricing information, receipts, warranty conditions and service records can help a business explain what happened and show whether it complied with consumer obligations.

For consumers, the agency’s position means mediation invitations should be taken seriously by both parties. A customer who files a complaint should preserve records and ensure the description of the problem is specific, including the purchase date, product or service, amount paid and the remedy sought.

Records help support a complaint

LASCOPA urged consumers to retain receipts, invoices, warranties and other documents that support their claims. Records can help establish where and when a transaction took place, the terms offered and what went wrong.

Consumers with unresolved complaints should use the agency’s established channels rather than assume that a public social-media post alone will trigger a formal remedy. Where a dispute involves a product or service, it is useful to keep copies of messages with the seller and note any attempt to resolve the matter directly.

The agency has also warned against blanket “no refund” policies. Nairametrics reported that Solebo said consumers should not assume a seller can dismiss a legitimate complaint by relying on such a notice. Whether a refund, replacement, repair or another remedy applies will depend on the facts and relevant law.

Enforcement figures give context

Solebo said in March 2026 that LASCOPA had resolved more than 11,000 consumer-rights cases and recovered over ₦860M (about KSh 83.42M) for Lagos residents over the preceding five years, according to the report. The agency also said it handles an average of at least 2,000 cases annually.

Those figures were attributed to the agency through the news report and were not accompanied in the material reviewed by a detailed case-by-case breakdown. They provide a sense of the agency’s stated workload, but do not independently establish how quickly cases are resolved or how often enforcement penalties are imposed.

For firms operating in Lagos, clear complaint-handling procedures can reduce the risk of disputes escalating because invitations go unanswered. Consumers, meanwhile, should keep evidence and use official redress mechanisms when direct resolution fails.

The current warning was reported by Nairametrics Further coverage of African business rules and consumer markets is available through Mwenendo.