The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council (FCCPC) is partnering the National Judicial Institute (NJI) to train judges on a clear and principled jurisprudence in competition and consumer protection laws.
The training is aimed at helping to shape market behaviour, strengthen investor confidence and protect the welfare of Nigerian consumers.
The Executive Vice Chairman, FCCPC Mr. Tunji Bello, said the legal system can provide valuable insights for strengthening domestic jurisprudence and regulatory practices.
The FCCPC boss noted that within Nigeria’s constitutional framework, regulatory authority must operate within clearly defined legal boundaries.
Bello spoke at the NJI/FCCPC collaboration on judicial training programmes for judges and sector regulators in Abuja.
The FCCPC boss stated that in recent years, regulators and courts in Nigeria have encountered a growing number of disputes arising from evolving market practices across several sectors of the economy.
He said: “Many of these matters involve complex factual records, economic evidence and questions concerning the interaction between general competition law and sector-specific regulatory frameworks.
Competition and consumer protection law often finds its most practical expression in the courtroom. It is there that the legal principles governing markets are tested, clarified and given authoritative interpretation.
“Nigeria operates a market-based economic system in which prices are largely determined by market forces. At the same time, the law provides mechanisms for examining market conduct where concerns arise regarding competition, consumer welfare or unfair commercial practices.
“Again, Nigeria’s markets continue to evolve; the interaction between economic regulation and judicial oversight will become increasingly significant,” he said.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and Chairman of NJI’s board of governors, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, said the FCCPC occupies a pivotal position within Nigeria’s regulatory architecture.
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, serving as a bulwark against anti-competitive practices, market distortions, and unfair business conduct that undermine consumer confidence and economic stability.
The CJN noted that the competition mandate of the commission is directed at promoting fair, transparent, and efficient market structures that encourage innovation, productivity, and sustainable economic growth. At the same time, ensuring that individuals are shielded from exploitative practices across critical sectors of the economy, including the financial services sector.
She explained that another critical frontier deserving attention is the expanding role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital technologies in shaping competition and consumer protection dynamics.
“The proliferation of AI-driven systems is transforming markets in unprecedented ways. These technologies offer immense benefits, but they also introduce complex risks, including data exploitation, algorithmic manipulation of consumer choices, privacy infringements, and the dissemination of misleading information,” she said.
