*The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission directs manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers to immediately review inventories, and withdraw from sale consumer products that fail to comply with mandatory product labelling requirements in the Nigerian economy
Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect
As part of its routine checks of healthy and quality products in markets, shops, and superstores, Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has directed manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers to immediately withdraw all consumer products bearing incomplete, false, or misleading labels from circulation across the West African country.
ConsumerConnect reports the FCCPC said the directive to the market stakeholders was sequel to recent market surveillance and routine quality checks that revealed widespread non-compliance with quality benchmarks.
The market regulatory Commission, in a public advisory issued Wednesday, August 19, 2026, noted that missing or faulty information on products harms a consumer’s right to make safe choices.
The FCCPC stated the directive was issued pursuant to Sections 17(p), (w), (x), 114, 116, 123 and 125 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA), 2018.
It is equally noted that some of the problems found on consumer product packages include missing production and expiry dates, absence of batch numbers, unclear or missing manufacturer details, undisclosed ingredients and allergen details, and false or deceptive claims on product packages.
The advisory further explained that the market regulator had observed “with serious concern” the increasing circulation, distribution, and sale of consumer goods that fail to meet prevailing standards and regulations governing product labelling.
The Commission explained that its market surveillance, routine inspections, and quality assurance activities uncovered products carrying misleading or deceptive information, as well as goods without essential labelling details on them.
It stated: “These include products without production dates, expiry or best-before dates, batch numbers, manufacturer details, ingredient lists, allergen information, country of origin, and other mandatory labelling information.”
The market regulator as well emphasised that it is empowered by the law to promote consumer safety by ensuring compliance with labelling requirements in line with applicable standards established by competent regulatory authorities.
Such authorities include the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The public advisory warned Nigerian consumers that “deceptive, incomplete, or misleading product labelling violates consumers’ right to the information required to make informed purchasing decisions” and could expose them to significant health, safety and economic risks.
The Commission, therefore, directed organisations and businesses across the supply chain to immediately review their products and remove non-compliant goods from the market.
The FCCPC also cautioned that businesses that continue to distribute or sell products that fail to meet the applicable labelling requirements “risk appropriate regulatory enforcement action.”
It equally urged consumers to carefully examine product labels before purchasing, and avoid products with missing, illegible, altered, misrepresented or poor-quality labels.
The Commission advised to be wary of products carrying false claims or other misleading information by promptly reporting suspected cases of non-compliance through the Commission’s official complaint channels.
It assured consumers of continuing to strengthen nationwide market surveillance and enforcement activities in collaboration with relevant regulatory authorities to ensure compliance and enhance consumer protection.