Consumer Law Naija

    IS PRE PAID METER A RIGHT OR A PRIVILEGE?                                                                                    Photo credit: vaaju.com Nigeria is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of natural resources and is populated with over 201 million people, according to the United Nations Population Fund . Despite this numerous natural resources and potentials, there is lack of stable electricity. According to the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Consumer Rights and Obligations , all customers have a right to electricity . Section 2 states “that all customers have a right to electricity supply in a safe and reliable manner”. Section 3 states tha...

5 Interesting facts you need to know about the New Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act          Credit : von.gov.ng Great news! President Muhammadu Buhari just signed into law the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Bill thereby making it the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act. The New Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act repeals the Consumer Protection Act, Cap. 25, Laws of the Federal of Nigeria, 2014. The Act seeks to ensure economic efficiency, maintain competitiveness in the Nigerian Market, encourage innovation, prohibit restrictive business practices and protect the welfare of consumers most especially as regards the right to choose and have access to a variety of products and services at fair and competitive prices. The Act has introduced new provisions that if implemented, would revitalize the economy significantly. I would highlight five of them for the purpose of this blog post. 1. Scope of ...

12 Patients' Bill of Rights every Nigerian Should Know                                                          Images : doctors'quarters.com Have you or your relatives ever experienced poor treatment by a health care professional in the course of receiving Medical attention in the hospital? Well i have on many occasions  and i must tell you that it has been a terrible experience. Imagine yourself being taken to the hospital in pains or in a state of emergency and the people who are charged with the responsibility of taking care of you just treat you with disdain and levity or some may even insult you. These and some other issues are what Many Nigerians go through on a daily basis when they visit the hospital.  Thankfully, there is a ray of hope to Nigerians. The Consumer Protection Council, Nigerian Medical Association and t...

5 things you should consider before shopping online Photo Credit: dreamstime.com   Online shopping has become the most preferred form of shopping these days not only because you can buy a product from any part of the world at the click of a button,  but also, it is less stressful, more convenient and most times, more affordable that the traditional open market where you would board several buses to get to, trek from shop to shop to look for what you want to buy and sometimes you get confused when you don't get what you are looking for only to be forced by sellers to buy what you did not bargain for. According to Paypal, Nigeria ranks third in online shopping worldwide. The General Manager of Paypal Africa and Isreal, Efi Dahan, said Nigerian shoppers have realized that the world is their shopping mall and as such shop wherever and whenever using their mobile devices.  As exciting as this may seem, online shopping has its own issues like security; where fake me...

5 Agencies that are responsible for enforcing your right as a consumer I have previously taken you through your 8 Consumer rights. It is assumed that you are aware of your rights as a consumer. The question now is if my rights are violated, which agencies do i go to enforce my consumer rights and how effectively would they resolve my complaints? This was one of the issues i had to deal with when our electricity supply was disconnected. At first, we were skeptical about the ability of NERC to handle our complaints promptly and efficiently but we became impressed when they resolved our issues with the electricity distribution company amicably and without delay. Photo Credit: dreamtime.com The 5 agencies that are responsible for enforcing your rights as a consumer are: 1 . : Consumer Protection Council is a parastatal of the Federal Government of Nigeria, supervised by the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment. It was established by virtue of the Consumer Protection Coun...

8 RIGHTS OF ELECTRICITY CONSUMERS IN NIGERIA Two weeks ago, some staff of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company came to my house, demanded for our electricity utility bills which we immediately handed over to them. After they had checked them and found that we did not default in payment, they then claimed that the former occupants of the house had some outstanding bills which they did not pay before leaving the house. It was due to that reason they disconnected our power supply and left us in darkness for one week. On the 20th of February, 2018, the National  Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC)Forum at Ikeja ordered that the electricity distribution company reconnect our power supply immediately as the disconnection was done without adequate notice and therefore wrongful. Everyday, Many Nigerians fall victim to the exploitation of some electricity distribution Company because they are not aware of their rights as electricity consumers. As a result of that, they re...

                                     8 Consumer rights you need to know   Photo Credit: hypehair.com I started this blog because i have experienced so many consumer right violations, through my legal skills and knowledge, I  was able to get remedies and adequate compensation but many Nigerians are  not aware of their consumer rights, some do not know how to enforce them while some citizens lack confidence in the agencies that are charged with the responsibility of enforcing Consumer rights. We are all consumers. From the food we buy from the market daily to the transactions we do online,we consume everyday and in every part of our lives. Most people are not aware that consumer right is a fundamental right as provided by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria , that is why we are exposed to hazardous foods, medications and fraudulent advertisement b...

How to be a Conscious Consumer this New Year Pixabay-Grocery Store I t is a brand new year and the month of January is the month of new year resolutions. I do not know what your new year resolutions are, but mine is to be a conscious consumer. What do I mean by a conscious consumer? Being a conscious consumer means that you are aware that every product you buy has a positive or negative impact on you, the society or environment you live in. You are aware that every product you buy may affect your health and well being positively or adversely. Do you know that there are many products in your closet that may have a harmful effect on your body without your knowledge? Some of the foods that you eat may not be healthy for you and you end up not only ingesting toxic substances into your body, but you also become susceptible to diseases like cancer and diabetes, thereby incurring unnecessary expenses as well as emotional trauma for your family. This year, choose to spend wisely, cho...