Abuja, March 11, 2026 – Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), 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.
Kekere-Ekun made the observation in Abuja on Tuesday while delivering a keynote address at the opening of a three-day Competition and Consumer Protection Law Conference.
“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.
Stressing the strategic role of FCCPC, the Chief Justice said 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 said competition and consumer protection law had 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 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.
Mr Tunji Ballo, the Chief Executive of FCCPC, 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 said 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 said modern markets were 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.
