*Afolabi Solebo, General Manager/CEO, Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency, warns Nigerians against buying expired and near-expired products purportedly being reintroduced into the market with fake production and expiry dates, stating the agency will seize such products, close premises, and prosecute offenders
Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect
In sanitising the market while protecting consumers against unsafe and harmful products, the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) has warned residents against buying expired and near-expired products allegedly being reintroduced into markets with fake production and expiry dates.
ConsumerConnect reports LASCOPA raised the alarm over the reported circulation of devices and chemicals used to erase and reprint production dates on consumer products in the state.
The market regulatory agency also cautioned that the menace could expose unsuspecting Nigerians to unsafe, unhealthy and potentially harmful products.
Speaking on the development, Mr. Afolabi Solebo, General Manager/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), said consumer safety remained non-negotiable.
Solebo: Agency to sanction erring manufacturers, distributors and retailers
The General Manager/CEO emphasised that any alterations of expiry dates on products has violated the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency Law, 2025 (as amended).
He also disclosed the LASCOPA Enforcement teams had carried out inspections across all Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state.
He said the teams discovered suspicious date coding, damaged packaging, and other questionable products in circulation.
The Chief Executive of LASCOPA warned that businesses found engaging in the harmful practice would face appropriate sanctions.
These include seizure of products, closure of premises and prosecution in line with the law, he stated.
The regulations agency further urged consumers to carefully examine product labels before making purchases, especially for smudged or altered dates, damaged packaging, and other inconsistencies in the market place.
Consumers urged to credible vendors, retain purchase receipts
LASCOPA equally urged Lagos residents to patronise trusted vendors, and retain receipts as evidence of purchase in case of complaints.
Stressing the importance of sanitising the product distribution value chain, Solebo urged manufacturers or producers to adopt clear and standardised labelling systems for batch numbers and expiry dates to prevent manipulation and protect consumers.
The CEO of the agency reassured consumers that LASCOPA would continue its monitoring and enforcement operations across the state.
Solebo encouraged residents also to report suspicious products through official phone contacts, e-mail, and the agency’s official social media platforms, or visit its office in Ikeja, Lagos State capital.
Urging Lagosians to remain vigilant, and verify products before purchase, the General Manager of LASCOPA asserted: “Consumer safety remains a shared responsibility.”
FCCPC, LASCOPA in partnership that works for Nigerians
It is recalled that the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA), April 2026, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on consumer protection enforcement and the replacement of hazardous products in Lagos, among other areas in the South-West Nigeria.
Mr. Tunji Bello, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of FCCPC, and Mr. Afolabi Solebo, General Manager of LASCOPA, signed the working MoU at a ceremony.
LASCOPA is the government regulatory body responsible for protecting consumer rights and promoting fair trade practices across Lagos State, the commercial hub of Nigeria.
ConsumerConnect reports the legal document states that both market regulatory organisations recognise that mutual collaboration and cooperation in protecting consumers are vital to achieving an optimal, stable, and reliable goods and services-based market, consistent with their respective mandates.
In regard to the MoU, both FCCPC and LASCOPA are to ensure the effective, efficient, and coordinated discharge of their respective functions for the benefit of consumers and business operators in Lagos State.
In respect of the scope of the MoU, it is also noted that the two regulators agreed to cooperate and collaborate in discharging their respective functions with respect to consumer protection, including but not limited to information sharing, complaint resolution (including providing relief to affected consumers or communities and the replacement of hazardous products), consumer and business education, training, and capacity development.
Besides, both regulatory agencies will also ensure compliance monitoring and enforcement of consumer protection laws and subsidiary legislation, as well as undertake joint initiatives strictly related to consumer protection matters.
On establishment of Joint Task Force to activate MoU, by Bello
In attaining the core objectives of the agreement, Bello said the FCCPC and LASCOPA thus agreed to “establish a Joint Task Force (JTF) for the management, monitoring, and implementation of the scope of this MoU or any activity arising therefrom.”
The organisations as well agreed that Lagos, as Nigeria’s leading commercial hub, is home to an enormous concentration of consumers, businesses, digital enterprises, logistics networks, financial activity, and service providers.
The EVC/CEO of the Commission urged close operational cooperation between the FCCPC and LASCOPA, particularly in the areas of complaint handling, intelligence sharing, consumer education, and coordinated interventions where necessary.
Bello, therefore, described the MoU as an “operational instrument” designed to improve outcomes for citizens while providing a framework for market intelligence exchange and coordinated action where legally appropriate.
He further assured of FCCPC’s commitment to encouraging states across the Federation to enact, strengthen, or renew their consumer protection legal frameworks in ways that reflect local realities and peculiar market conditions.
Solebo, General Manager and CEO of LASCOPA, afformed that the agency was established by Lagos State legislators to address citizens’ rights.
He said the agency had achieved a lot for the state but emphasised that “we cannot work in silos; we need Federal might.”
According to Solebo, transportation is an area where collaboration between the parties is important and within the purview of the FCCPC.