Nigeria’s courts may soon face a surge in complex disputes arising from competition and consumer protection issues as markets evolve and digital technologies reshape commercial practices, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has said.
Kekere-Ekun stated this in Abuja yesterday at the opening of a strategic judicial training programme organised by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and National Judicial Institute (NJI).
The Chief Justice submitted that the judiciary must strengthen its institutional capacity to interpret emerging and complex legal questions around market dominance, unfair trade practices, digital commerce and consumer rights.
The programme brought together judges, sector regulators, legal practitioners and scholars to discuss legal and adjudicatory issues arising from the implementation of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA).
The CJN submitted that competition and consumer protection law has become one of the fastest-evolving areas of legal practice globally as courts are increasingly confronted with disputes arising from digital markets, corporate consolidation, misleading environmental claims and consumer rights violations.
Kekere-Ekun observed that provisions within the FCCPA allowed consumers to approach courts directly without first exhausting administrative remedies, which reinforced the need for judicial preparedness in handling such cases.
While affirming the judiciary’s commitment to safeguarding consumer rights and maintaining market integrity, Kekere-Ekun emphasised the importance of strengthening alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to reduce pressure on courts.
In his remarks, the Executive Vice Chairman of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, noted that competition and consumer protection laws were increasingly finding most practical application in the courtroom where market conduct is scrutinised and legal principles are explained.
He disclosed that the FCCPA established the FCCPC as Nigeria’s primary authority for promoting fair competition, protecting consumer welfare and regulating mergers and acquisitions.