FCCPC recovers N10bn for Nigerians as Banks, FMCG recorded most customer complaints

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) on Thursday disclosed that banking and Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FCMG) services accounted for the highest number of consumer complaints in Nigeria between March and August 2025, with more than N10 billion recovered for aggrieved customers within the same period.

This was contained in an updated data on consumer complaints received and resolved across key sectors of the Nigerian economy.

The data, covering cases lodged with the Commission between March and August, 2025 compiled from the Commission’s complaint resolution platforms, provides insight into the patterns and prevalence of consumer dissatisfaction across 30 sectors, a statement said on Thursday.

The Director, Corporate Affairs, FCCPC, Mr.Ondaje Ijagwu  who signed the statement explained that the top 10 sectors by number of complaints received between March and August 2025 were led by banking (3,173 complaints), followed by FCMG (1,543), fintech (1,442), and electricity (458).

Other sectors included e-commerce (412), telecommunications (409), retail/wholesale/shopping (329), aviation (243), information technology (131), and road transport and logistics (114).

“This data covers consumer grievances ranging from unfair charges, service failure, unauthorised deductions, deceptive marketing, poor disclosure of terms, product defects, and failure to provide redress within acceptable timelines.

“The total number of complaints resolved during the reporting period was 9091, while total recoveries for consumers exceeded N10 billion, reflecting both the scale of harm experienced and the significant financial burden borne by consumers in the absence of effective redress.

“The publication of sector-specific complaint data aligns with the Commission’s mandate under Sections 17(a), 17(j) of the FCCPA 2018, which empower it to enforce consumer protection laws and make information on its functions available to the public,” the statement added.

The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Mr. Tunji Bello,in his reaction, said: “These numbers are not just statistics; they tell the story of consumer frustration, and the daily challenges Nigerians face in essential services.

“However, the FCCPC is determined to hold businesses accountable, ensure compliance with the FCCPA, and promote fair market practices that protect the welfare of all consumers.”

The statement quoted that banking remsins dominant source of consumer complaints, both in volume and financial exposure, highlighting recurring issues in loan deductions, account charges, and transaction disputes, and reflecting public reliance on the FCCPC to intervene in systemic financial service challenges.

“Banking and fintech dominate by financial impact, showing consumer vulnerability where services are both essential and high value, signalling an urgent need for stronger joint regulation with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“With 458 reported complaints, the electricity sector ranks 4th overall, behind banking, financial services, and FCMG, highlighting persistent billing disputes, service delivery failures, and the need for stronger coordination between the FCCPC, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission(NERC), state electricity regulatory agencies and electricity distribution companies (DisCos).

“E-commerce disputes are relatively low-value but high-frequency, signalling broad consumer exposure at the retail level.

“While average monetary losses per complaint are low, the volume and recurrence of disputes (deliveries, refunds, counterfeit goods) reveal e-commerce as a growing consumer pain point.

“Interestingly, report of the high incidence of disputes linked to digital lending, investment schemes, and microfinance services coincides with the unveiling of a new regulation by FCCPC to curb abuses in the digital lending sector.

“The Commission is intensifying monitoring, enforcement, and collaboration with sector regulators to address these concerns. Focus is on financial and utility services, where recurring patterns of consumer exploitation require corrective action.

“The Commission encourages regulated entities to study these data trends and strengthen internal mechanisms for handling consumer complaints, ensuring that issues are addressed promptly and equitably.

“Consumers are encouraged to continue reporting violations through the FCCPC complaint portal: complaints.fccpc,gov.ng, or FCCPC zonal and state offices. Every report assists the Commission in identifying systemic issues and enforcing compliance,” it added.