The company disclosed this in a corporate filing to the Nigerian Exchange Limited, NGX, on Thursday.

MTN said the suspension was necessitated by the FCCPC’s Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025, which established a new compliance and licensing framework for providers of digital credit services.

In the disclosure signed by its Company Secretary, Uto Ukpanah, the telecom operator explained that Xtratime enabled eligible prepaid subscribers to borrow airtime or data and repay on their next recharge.

“MTN Nigeria Communications Plc hereby notifies the Nigerian Exchange Limited and the investing public that the Company has temporarily suspended its airtime and data credit advance service (‘Xtratime’).

“This relates to the implementation of processes under the Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025.

”The implementation introduced a new compliance and licensing framework for entities providing digital or non-traditional consumer credit services,” the company said.

The firm assured customers that other digital channels for purchasing airtime and data would remain available during the suspension.

MTN also noted that the temporary halt was not expected to significantly impact its earnings.

“Given the scale within the revenue mix, we do not expect the temporary suspension to have a material impact,” it stated.

The company added that it would continue to monitor customer behaviour and provide updates on any measurable impact in its first quarter 2026 results.

The FCCPC regulation builds on earlier guidelines issued in 2022 to strengthen oversight of digital lending in Nigeria.

Under the new framework, all digital lenders, including telecom operators offering airtime or data credit services, are required to register with the commission.

The FCCPC had earlier set October 31, 2025, as the deadline for registration, with a penalty of N100 million for non-compliance before extending it to January 5, 2026, and subsequently to April 2026 to allow full compliance.

The Commission’s Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, had said operators that failed to regularise their status within the stipulated period could face further regulatory actions.

Source: NAN

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But who could have imagined that the 2024 Gen Zs’ “no gree for anybody” slogan would get a lease of life from the least likely quarter? Dangote volunteered. He tore through the muscles of powerful oil sectors’ big men. Only one was in sight but big ones fell! And even a third. Dangote no gree for anybody.   He has come to reaffirm his conquest of the sector. May the conquest signal better future for citizens.

Yeah, unlike POTUS Trump, Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote, ran an unusual race and breasted the tape. By all means, Trump, strangely, sought the Nobel Peace Prize this year, 2025 but it all ended in praise.  For the judges, as you know, who reaffirmed their consistency by giving it to the deserving, a Venezuelan, Maria Corina Machado. May Venezuela survive the raging oil-induced envy.

Aliko Dangote, serial winner on all choice business fronts, renowned for his relentlessly expansionist business drive was about being stopped from clinching my nomination by some feeble appointee like that, Farouk Ahmed. Comparatively feeble, yes. Engineer Ahmed, long sworn against the welfare of the multitude was up to some vicious machination he planned to inflict on Nigerians again, this Yuletide season. But God had a better plan for Nigerians. Far, from Ahmed’s. Indeed, superior. Until recently, he was the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA.

To the extreme delight of many Nigerians, Dangote announced a slashed price for fuel by as much as almost #200. Ahmed and company wanted a different, constraining deal for Nigerians and even started cooking some sentiments.  There was no stopping daring Dangote. He had tolerated Ahmed and company enough.

In the heat of the moment, Dangote alerted Nigerians to the fact that Engineer Ahmed as the head of NMDPRA preferred the regime of continued importation of fuel which impliedly would mean prolonged era of high price of fuel at possibly #1000 per litre very soon. Meanwhile, Dangote is here with the offer of #739 pump-head price deriving from #699 gantry price from which #300 accrues to the government on every litre.

Without mincing words, Dangote said the otherwise unprintable, alleging Engineer Ahmed’s overindulgence in messy corruption but Dangote would not play ball to sustain and would rather spill all beans. After what looked like the initial threats by Dangote, and Ahmed did not seem to be ruffled, Dangote got his lawyer, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, to file a formal complaint against the stubborn perpetrator of the anti-people officialdom. It finally became public knowledge that this character had been living beyond his means at the expense of what he could hardly defend. The onus is now on the Independent Corrupt Practice Commission, ICPC, to do all verification for the world to know the villain further.

Few months back, Ahmed and company had played a fast one on the entire nation claiming the Port Harcourt refinery  long abandoned and declared a ne’er do well by the legendary Obasanjo, was back in good shape. Nah!

They conjured it all and made it look real, televising all the falsehoods for the world to lap up. Only for them to recoil after giving so much life to sheer deceit. But who knows how much would have been gulped by the show of shame mounted by Engineer Ahmed and fellow swindlers of taxpayers’ sweats?

Even now that Ahmed has been compelled to hand in his resignation letter, his taciturnity has continued.  But a certain Engineer Kailani that Dangote never mentioned plunged into the dark alley of Ahmed’s fight.  According to him, on Trust TV, he knew how Dangote made his money from Port Harcourt but that some of them just chose to keep quiet.

Really? Again, Dangote no gree for anybody! He slammed an ultimatum of seven days on the self-appointed advocate of Ahmed to do full throttle disclosure of all he knew about how Dangote made his money in Port Harcourt failing which he ran the risk of a #100 billion suit. But guy was a mere mouth-maker. He hurried back to Trust TV to swallow his words. He went on to apologise and in his characteristic sweeping sobbing muttered that his north had ways with Allah knows what.

The good thing for now however is that Dangote has crashed the pump-head price of fuel from over #900 or so to #739 in Lagos, at least at MRS stations. This writer bought from Palmgrove station Monday December 22, 2025. The price crasher went further to enjoin members of the public to report stations declining to dispense at the stated price.

This Dangote’s new found love for activism came on the heel of the recent inspiring action of an activist, or better still, a renewed hope compliant government commission, in Lagos. The said commission, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, defying possible blackmail,  in the spirit of no gree for anybody  descended on the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, IKEDC, on account of  protracted infractions including deprivation of certain subscribers of services for as long as one year and some months. After serial warnings which IKEDC deliberately ignored, it took a powerful team of FCCPC led by its Surveillance team to seal up the premises of the erring Ikeja zonal office of IKEDC.

IKEDC has the notoriety of being insensitive to customers’ complaints but interestingly has always been stopped by FCCPC whose slogan of Demand and Insist is echoed by “no gree for anybody”. Early this year, yours sincerely had the existing electricity meter for my apartment  within government quarters in Ikeja GRA disconnected by operatives of IKEDC, even when they were not ready to replace immediately.

The simplistic argument from IKEDC operatives was that it was an old meter even as it was also a prepaid meter which FCCPC had argued was upgradeable by merely installing some software on that particular version. The Federal Government’s directive was that if they chose to remove any such meter, they must replace for  subscribers in Band A at no cost. But IKEDC had always stated that free meter would take eternity and therefore advising subscribers to pay for meters so they could have a replacement.

Almost everyone in my vicinity had been successfully cajoled and made to pay for their meters, but heeding the slogan of FCCPC, I demanded for my entitlement and insisted too by notifying FCCPC. Promptly, FCCPC intervened and advised IKEDC to ensure they supply my meter without delay.  FCCPC added further that in the event that it would take a while to get me a meter, they must not slap any outrageous bill on me, insisting specifically, that subsequent bills for me must be relative to my billing history. My meter was installed within one month! Within the said month, my bill was based on the average cost of my consumption over time. Just imagine life without FCCPC.

Today’s Nigeria with prevalent multidimensional reforms, at the centre, clearly inspires citizens’ activist posturing as demonstrated by Dangote, no matter what the trajectory of the “no gree for anybody” campaign is.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is even in the forefront of all these, afterall.  He leaves no one in doubt about his deep conviction for the good governance need for the fiscal autonomy of local governments in line with the verdict of the Supreme Court. The height of it all was his recent public declaration of the likelihood of executing the statutory provision for the executive order to compel compliance for State Governments.  This was actually in addition to repeated calls earlier by the President to citizens to call out the governors and other relevant elected officials to work with the substantially increased revenue.

Follow who know road like Dangote. Demand for your rights and Insist, shikena.

*Professor Akanni, Pioneer Fellow of the Responsible Governance Programme of the Michigan State University and LASU based Development Communications Expert, is currently on sabbatical tenure at the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC.

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Every day, whether we realize it or not, we enter into silent contracts with merchants, sellers, and service providers. We buy sachet water, face cream, cough syrup, electronics, and more. Yet many of those goods are fake, substandard, dangerous. A bottle of drug you swallow, a cosmetic you smear, a phone battery that overheats—they can harm health, destroy property, even kill. In a country where regulatory oversight is inconsistent and consumer awareness is patchy, knowing your rights is not a luxury—it is a life-saving shield. The fight for consumer protection is not abstract; it is tied to fairness, dignity, and public safety.

At its core, Nigerian law now provides that when you buy a good or service, you are entitled to safety, information, quality, redress, and fair dealing. You cannot be sold poison under the veil of a brand name. You cannot be misled by false claims. When goods are defective or dangerous, you should have remedies—refunds, replacements, damages, or regulatory complaint mechanisms. Over the years, Nigeria has evolved its legal framework. The old Consumer Protection Council (CPC) regime has been superseded by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018 (FCCPA), which created the Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) as the primary regulatory body. Under this Act, unfair and deceptive practices are prohibited, and consumer complaints may be addressed across sectors.

Alongside, product-specific regulators—such as NAFDAC (for food, drugs, cosmetics) and SON (Standards Organisation of Nigeria, for general goods)—enforce standards, registration, and quality rules. When these regulators do their job, dangerous products are identified, traced, seized, and barred. But when they fail, the law anticipates that citizens can demand accountability.

It is not theoretical. In mid-2025, NAFDAC issued an alert about unregistered Fair brand child soap circulating in markets—a product that lacked regulatory approval. That is not just a labelling issue. If a product meant for children lacks proper safety checks, contamination risk, chemical harms increase.

In another spectacle, NAFDAC accused a social media influencer known as “Very Dark Man” of colluding with fake drug merchants—inciting the public to oppose regulatory actions. That case shows how misinformation and regulatory backlash mix dangerously.

Regulators have also stepped up. For example, NAFDAC announced a Greenbook traceability regulation to help consumers identify potentially fake or substandard products. Meanwhile, the FCCPC launched a joint market monitoring taskforce to tackle the flood of counterfeit goods in Nigeria’s markets.

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Beyond cosmetics and soaps, counterfeit electronics, batteries, spare parts, substandard food and drink, and fake medical supplies are widespread. According to analyses, Nigeria ranks among the top countries globally in counterfeit goods seizures.

These stories are not remote. They are the groceries, the medicine, the cosmetics, and gadgets you or I may buy this week. The risk is real; the stakes are your health, your wallet, your life.

At its core, Nigerian law now provides that when you buy a good or service, you are entitled to safety, information, quality, redress, and fair dealing.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018 (FCCPA) is the principal law in Nigeria for consumer rights. It gives the FCCPC power to investigate, sanction, require refunds, remove goods from the market, and make regulations.

NAFDAC is empowered under several laws: the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, the Food, Drug and Related Products (Registration) Act, and the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act. These laws forbid manufacture, sale, distribution, advertisement of unregistered, counterfeit, adulterated, expired or substandard products.

SON’s statutory mandate is to set standards and regulate product quality for non-food and non-drug goods—appliances, construction materials, electronics, etc.

Constitutionally, though not explicit, consumer protection flows from rights to life, dignity, security, and property. When regulators fail, courts have sometimes intervened to protect consumers.

A significant judicial affirmation came when the Federal High Court upheld that FCCPC has multi-sectoral jurisdiction over consumer complaints even in banking sectors, thereby validating the authority to act against banks for consumer grievances. That ruling signified that consumer protection is not restricted to products but also services.

In a landmark suit, a company (Bluecrest Global Consults) complained to FCCPC about a banking advance payment guarantee (APG) issued by Wema Bank. They alleged unfair practice in refusal to renew and lack of transparency. The bank challenged FCCPC’s power to meddle in banking matters, claiming exclusive jurisdiction lies with federal courts. But the Federal High Court held that FCCPC’s jurisdiction over consumer protection complaints is valid, and that its powers under FCCPA do not conflict with constitutional jurisdiction over banking. The court affirmed that consumers have recourse through FCCPC even against banks.

This case matters because it expands the remedy horizon. It tells Nigerians: your complaint against a service provider—even a bank—can be addressed by FCCPC. Not just product sellers.

When you buy anything—soap, phone, drug—ask: is it registered? Does it have NAFDAC or SON numbers? Is there a label with batch, expiry, manufacturer? Use the Greenbook where available to check traceability.

Keep packaging and receipts. Photograph labels. If goods spoil or fail quickly, report to FCCPC, NAFDAC or SON. Most of these bodies have complaint hotlines and online channels.

Do not swallow “sorry we can’t refund” or “our policy says no return.” Under FCCPA, unfair or deceptive practices that mislead you can be challenged. Demand a refund, replacement, or compensation.

If a product harmed you, medical costs, property damage, or health injury may underpin a lawsuit. Use regulators as first line (to seize dangerous goods), then courts to claim damages.

Support regulatory enforcement. When FCCPC, NAFDAC, SON conduct raids, comply and report suspicious goods. Consumer vigilance and complaints fuel regulatory action. Encourage your market union to blacklist suspicious sellers.

Finally, educate others. Many consumers accept fakes as “normal.” If more Nigerians demand genuine quality, the market shifts.

We live in a marketplace flooded with choices—and dangers. Fake, substandard, adulterated goods hurt our wallets, our bodies, our children. The law gives you rights; regulators hold tools. But until citizens speak up, the flood of fakes will continue. Demand accountability. Report sellers who cheat. Support regulators doing their job. Buy with care. Share what you learn. Know your consumer rights like you know your phone PIN. Because in the end, safer products, fair markets, respected consumers—these are not luxuries, they are the foundations of dignity in today’s Nigeria.

*Daomi is a Lagos-based lawyer, legal analyst, and human rights advocate.

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The National Commissioner, Nigeria Data Protection Commission, NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, said this in Abuja on Friday at Training for DevsInGovernment which had as its them, “Innovating with Privacy: Building Trust in Government Digital Services.”

The U.S.-based company are the operators of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and Threads.

The government through the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, recently imposed a $220 million fine on Meta for data breaches.

“We are not necessarily being punitive. However, any institution that fails to cooperate or comply with our laws will be sanctioned,” Olatunji said.

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The initiative is meant to equip workers of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, of government with digital knowledge and skills.

Olatunji said the probe of Meta Platforms Inc. required multi-agency approach to ensure a thorough and detailed investigation with appropriate mechanisms to resolve the issues.

“We are concerned about the ways and manners in which data of citizens are collected and managed in Nigeria and outside Nigeria.

“In so doing, we also consider the economic values for the citizens and the country and we want the global best standards and practices to be entrenched here.

“We are not necessarily being punitive. However, any institution that fails to cooperate or comply with our laws will be sanctioned,” he said.

He said given the sensitive nature of data in governance and businesses, the federal government would do everything legally necessary to sanitise the area.

“The future of government is digital, but the success of digital governance will depend on one thing above all. Trust and privacy is the foundation of that trust.

“Deploying trusted digital services is not a task for government alone it requires all of us across public and private sectors, civil societies and citizens working together.

“Together we can build a citizen-centric, innovative digital nation that others will look to as a model of trust and progress,” he said.

Source: NAN

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The woman looked askance as she was told the latest prices of the food items she had come to the market to buy. “Everything too cost”, she moaned. Another woman haggling with the next seller interjected: “No be say dem too cost; na every day dem price too dey go up.” “Every day, ke? Na every minute”, the seller herself volunteered. She explained that she bought some stuff very early that day in the village market before one of her customers called her on the phone to place an order that necessitated her going back to the seller to buy more of the same item. Within a space of under one hour, she said prices had changed. “Na so the thing be nowadays”.

As the distraught woman stood there struggling to decide whether to buy or not,  the seller counselled her: “You better buy wetin you wan buy. By the time you waka up and down and come back, price fit don change.” It is as bad as that these days!

I visit the market once in a while to update myself with what the town is talking, as they say. I get story ideas each time I do. I also come back with a better understanding of what my wife goes through week after week. I used to angrily ask her what she was doing with her salary each time she asked for additional money for house-keeping. I used to say when a man has paid school fees, house and office rents; hostel accommodation for the children plus their feeding and other allowances, and as a pastor he has a church and congregations to cater to, among others, he should be given a respite from “pepper and onion money” – but not any longer! The little, little things of old now gulp a lot of money.

I wonder how the average Nigerian survives with the hyper-inflation that walks naked all around town.  I can tell you that the market is not smiling! Go there with a bagful of Naira; you will only return with “tasere” items that cannot fill a nylon bag. The supermarkets, where you cannot haggle prices, are worse.

In the face of skyrocketing prices of everything, money-making opportunities are in recession. The hardest hit are the poor and middle class. The poor have sunk deeper into poverty and many are now desperately and multi-dimensionally poor. The opportunity for children of the poor to escape poverty and try to drag their parents and family along gets slimmer by the day. The middle class, that mainstay of every egalitarian society and bulwark against totalitarianism, has virtually disappeared.

Today, you are either rich or poor. The remnants of the middle class struggling to keep their head above water have little strength left in their stomach to fight their oppressors. The field is, therefore, left wide open for the powerful to ride roughshod over the people, enlarging their coast in the process while the little space left to the masses shrink by the day.

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Jimmy Cliff in “Remake the World” (1976) aptly described it as too little people getting everything while too many people get nothing. The gulf between the haves and have-nots, which moved Cliff to pity some 50 years ago, is a child’s play compared to what the situation is today.

Until lately, I never knew there was anything called the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), a Federal Government agency  whose responsibility is  to “protect consumers and promote fair markets.” There are hundreds of Federal Government agencies sitting quietly in their little corners drawing billions of Naira in budgetary allocations but adding little or no value to anyone, except themselves. Mercifully, Tunji Bello, the new helmsman at the FCCPC, lawyer and seasoned media person, has hit the ground running. Recently, he rescued Nigerians from the grand design of the PHCN to fleece them to the tune of hundreds of thousands of Naira in new meter procurement and installation scam.

The crescendo of popular cries against escalating foodstuff prices also got the attention of the FCCPC, which warned market men and women to scale down prices or face sanctions. Compliance was lukewarm and short lived. Not much was heard again about the matter after the wind had blown over it. That is understandable. You cannot control what you do not produce. The law of supply and demand will trump any knee-jerk price control mechanism, no matter how well-intentioned.

We have to ramp up production. We also have to massively mobilize the masses behind moves championed by the FCCPC to checkmate the shylock business men and women making humongous profits at the expense of hapless Nigerians. The success recorded when the FCCPC stood against the attempt by the PHCN to pile more misery upon Nigerians when it directed them to purchase and install new meters shows that the battle “to protect consumers and promote fair markets” can be won and life can be made more livable for the people.

Mercifully, a Federal High Court judgement has empowered the FCCPC in this regard. Titled “FCCPC Has Regulatory Authority in All Sectors of Nigerian Economy, Court Rules… Says NCC shares consumer rights protection with FCCPC in telecoms sector”, a news medium reported the matter thus:

“The Federal High Court in Lagos has affirmed that the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has (the) power to regulate competition and consumer protection in all sectors of the Nigerian economy, including telecommunications. The presiding judge, Justice F.N. Ogazi, in his judgement said the FCCPC has the constitutional mandate and the primary authority to prevent anti-competition practices and protect Nigerian consumers. The judge said this is in line with Sections 17 and 18 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.

So, what else are they still waiting for at the FCCPC? Labour, civil society and the media should mobilise the citizenry to rally round the commission and fight the pervasive sharp practices of shylocks both in the public and private sectors of the economy that are compounding the woes of hapless Nigerians.

“The case, instituted by Emeka Nnubia, a shareholder of MTN and a legal practitioner, is seeking to halt the FCCPC’s investigation into MTN Nigeria. Nnubia argued that the FCCPC’s inquiry could violate data protection laws, insisting that regulatory powers over MTN resided with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and not FCCPC. However, in his ruling, Justice Ogazi clarified that Section 90 of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, which granted NCC jurisdiction over competition matters within the telecom industry, must be read alongside Section 104 of the FCCPA 2018, which established FCCPC as the primary regulatory authority on competition and consumer protection in all sectors.

“According to the judge, the FCCPA, being the later legislation, superseded conflicting provisions of the NCA 2003 to the extent that they sought to exclude FCCPC’s oversight in the telecommunications industry. The court further said the NCC did not have exclusive competition regulation authority in telecommunications, adding that both NCC and FCCPC have concurrent jurisdiction, ensuring a coordinated approach to fair competition and consumer welfare in the telecom industry.

“A statement by the Director, Corporate Affairs, FCCPC, Ondaje Ijagwu, stated that the ruling insisted that Section 105 of FCCPA 2018 provided for collaboration between FCCPC and sector regulators, including NCC. According to the statement, this aligned with global best practices where consumer protection regulators collaborate with industry-specific regulators.

“The ruling also reaffirmed FCCPC’s paramount authority in competition and consumer protection matters while also recognising the role of NCC in regulating telecommunications operations. The judge stated that entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with sector regulators was not a condition precedent for FCCPC’s enforcement of its statutory functions. He maintained that it was the obligation of sector regulators to engage with FCCPC to define working arrangements, not the other way round.

“Consequently, the court ruled that FCCPC acted within its statutory powers in issuing summons to MTN Nigeria as part of its ongoing inquiry into potential anti-competitive practices. It insisted that the summons and request by the commission was found to be lawful and within the scope of FCCPC’s investigative powers. The court also held that the commission’s request for information from MTN did not violate any data protection laws, including the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and the NCA 2003. It stated that no personal data was requested, and MTN’s obligation to disclose information in the public interest is a legitimate basis for compliance with FCCPC’s inquiry.

“The court, however, commended the excellence of legal arguments presented in the matter, rejecting any attempt to restrain a regulatory authority from exercising its statutory functions. The court ruled that preventing a regulator from discharging its duties violated the doctrine of separation of powers enshrined in the constitution. The court recognised that the case raised important questions regarding the evolving landscape of competition and consumer protection law in Nigeria, and declined to award costs due to the public interest significance of the case.”

So, what else are they still waiting for at the FCCPC? Labour, civil society and the media should mobilise the citizenry to rally round the commission and fight the pervasive sharp practices of shylocks both in the public and private sectors of the economy that are compounding the woes of hapless Nigerians.

*Bolawole (turnpot@gmail.com 0807 552 5533), former Editor of PUNCH newspapers, Chairman of its Editorial Board and Deputy Editor-in-chief, was also the Managing Director/ Editor-in-chief of the Westerner newsmagazine. He writes the “ON THE LORD’S DAY” column in the Sunday Tribune and “TREASURES” column in the New Telegraph newspapers. He is also a public affairs analyst on radio and television.

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“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” – Matthew 5:9.

Dogs eating dogs and birds gnawing at each other’s innards is one way to describe the war of words between the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Tunji Bello. Both are important members of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, occupying portfolios that impact on the day-to-day existence of Nigerians. For members of the upper and middle classes, Keyamo’s assignment is indispensable to their needs. With the state of insecurity in the country today, who wants to risk travelling by road, except those left with no other option?

Last week, a professional colleague who helps out with my Abuja assignments narrowly escaped being kidnapped in broad daylight at Obajana on her way back to Abuja from Lagos. The passengers in the vehicle right ahead of her were not so lucky. They were whisked off into the bush by the kidnappers. She lost valuables because the kidnappers took time to ransack her vehicle. But we were all thankful unto God that none of the kidnappers’ bullets hit her – and also because, today, I am not reduced to soliciting for help in this column to pay God-knows-how-much ransom money! All because of the high cost of air travel which many Nigerians can no longer afford!

This yuletide period is when more misery is piled upon hapless Nigerians on all fronts, the airlines inclusive. According to reports, air travel has witnessed a 300 per cent hike, especially on South-South and South-East routes. Why? Air Peace, which is at the centre of the spat between the Aviation ministry and the FCCPC, is, again, said to be at the centre of the astronomical hike that defies all logic.

Air Peace flight from Lagos to Asaba in Delta State reportedly moved from N97,400 as of December 5, 2024 to N287, 800 by December 18; Abuja to Asaba (N95,400 on December 5 to N285, 800 on December 16); Abuja to Benin (N95,000 to N285,800 by December 16); Lagos to Port Harcourt or Abuja to Port Harcourt (N95,400 to N285, 800) ; Lagos to Anambra (N114,400 as of December 6 to N381 by December 17); Abuja to Anambra (N95,000 as of December 5 to N285,800 by December 23), and so on and so forth!

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The only logical reason I can think of is that some airlines behave like the typical Lagos “Danfo” and “Yellow buses”: During rush hours, those ones mindlessly hike transport fares to fleece hapless Nigerians! December is “rush hours” for travellers moving from one place to the other to celebrate Christmas and New Year but should airlines flying international routes also display the “Bolekaja” mentality of Lagos touts and “agberos”?

Could this be the reason, then, why the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agents (NANTA) has not only thrown its weight behind the FCCPC on this matter but also asked that the FCCPC investigation be extended to other airlines in the country?

Keyamo says he is working assiduously to reposition the aviation industry to address the problem of air travel that has become the exclusive preserve of the rich. He adds that his efforts are already yielding the desired fruits and that, very soon, the cost of tickets will become affordable once again to the average Nigerian. That should be cheery news to anyone who has experienced the horror that long-distance travel especially has become on our roads.

For Tunji and the FCCPC, there are too many sharp practices out there by businesses that there is hardly any department where the people get value again for money. Quality and quantity have deliberately been compromised to cut production costs and maximise profit.

It used to be fun travelling long distances by road, be it by day or even at night. I for one loved the cool of the night to travel. Not again! Travelling during the day also had its own attractions: what with many stops on the way availing travellers the opportunity to alight from the vehicle, stretch their legs, and unwind! Sight-seeing the splendid and magnificent geography of the country was fun enough on its own. As you pass villages and towns one after the other, the flora and faunas, and the cultural heritage of the diverse peoples that make up the country come into view. For many, not any more!

So, tackling insecurity and making the road safe for travel once again is a task that must be done. Simultaneously, making air travel affordable must also not be treated with levity. Keyamo says that is what he has been working hard at – and I salute his efforts!

At the other end, Tunji Bello, the FCCPC boss, is worried that Nigerians are being cheated and taken advantage of by Shylock businessmen and women. In this way, the FCCPC investigation is not limited to Air Peace or the aviation sector alone but also reportedly captures the banking and communications sectors; the driving force being the avalanche of complaints by members of the public.

In the short period that he has been in the FCCPC saddle, Tunji has left no one in doubt that he has listening ears and sympathetic heart to the moanings and cries of suffering Nigerians. Hence, months ago, he issued an ultimatum to the market men and women and other traders to step down prices or face the music. The ultimatum may not have totally reversed the trend of high costs of foodstuffs but it gave notice that the masses now have a Daniel come to judgment.

How can anyone forget Tunji and FCCPC’s intervention weeks ago when ubiquitous – I almost said “iniquitous”! – PHCN ordered Nigerians to shell out hundreds of thousands of Naira to buy and install new meters within the ultimatum of a few weeks? It was Tunji and the FCCPC that said an emphatic “No”, thus saving hapless Nigerians another 419 scheme that would have bored gaping holes in people’s pockets in these austere times and very close to Christmas and New Year!

These apart, Tunji and Keyamo are established and long-standing members of the “Aluta” and “Progressives” fraternity. While I was at the University of Ibadan for my NYSC and M. Sc class, I watched Tunji campaign to become the vice-president of the “Great Uite” Student Union. His strident “aluta” message – and handsome looks, to boot – won the election for him. Our girls love mobilising en-masse and voting for handsome duds at Student Union elections!

Ask any of Tunji’s professional colleagues as journalists and they will tell you that he is one of the most approachable, responsible, and responsive of their colleagues that they can vouch for anytime, anyday. His conscience – and a heart for others – I dare to say, is not seared. Keyamo’s CV is no less intimidating! He has been a human rights activist for decades, fighting the cause of the marginalized and oppressed and standing on the side of the people – and on some occasions that I know, free of charge or pro bono, as the lawyers call it.

I confess that Tunji and Keyamo are my comrades and friends. So, I don’t want them to fight; especially when they are both engaged in a good cause but only coming in from different angles. Sheathe the sword, brothers, and bridge the communication gap! Stop dissipating energy on trifles! There is still much work to be done.

For Tunji and the FCCPC, there are too many sharp practices out there by businesses that there is hardly any department where the people get value again for money. Quality and quantity have deliberately been compromised to cut production costs and maximise profit. If you buy a whole box of matches, you will be lucky if a few catch fire when you strike them. A tea bag that could make a jug of tea for a family of six in the past can hardly make one tea cup these days. How about a tin of milk? If you think it is only the established businesses that cheat consumers, try and buy a bunch of cooked walnuts in traffic. You will be lucky if half of the eight pieces in a pack are edible!

The task before Keyamo is no less arduous. Thank God aircraft are not dropping from the sky these days like birds as they once did in this country. Keyamo has been proactive, not waiting for the deed to be done before acting, like he once told me when I confronted him with allegations that he acted prematurely to shut down Dana Air after the near mishap of its plane. But it will not amuse the minister to learn that eight months after and despite his intervention, Dana has yet to make my refunds despite repeated demands!

This is the kind of impunity, I think, that Tunji and the FCCPC are miffed about and which, I am sure, Keyamo himself cannot be comfortable with. Like I have said repeatedly, there must be consequences for bad behaviour; otherwise, no progress will be made and this country will continue to move in cycles. In these challenging economic times, if I get my refunds from Dana, it will at least buy half-bag of rice, chicken and soft drinks for me and my family to celebrate Christmas and New Year with!

*Bolawole (turnpot@gmail.com 0807 552 5533), former Editor of PUNCH newspapers, Chairman of its Editorial Board and Deputy Editor-in-chief, was also the Managing Director/ Editor-in-chief of the Westerner newsmagazine. He writes the “ON THE LORD’S DAY” column in the Sunday Tribune and “TREASURES” column in the New Telegraph newspapers. He is also a public affairs analyst on radio and television.

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The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ajuri Ngelale, made this known on Monday in a statement.

Mr. Bello is a lawyer, administrator, and renowned journalist.

He is the former secretary to the Lagos State Government and holds a Master’s degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos.

He studied Law at the same university and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002.

Mr. Bello began his career in journalism at the Concord Newspapers in 1985 and held the positions of Group Political Editor; Sunday Concord Editor, and Editor, National Concord.

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He is a winner of the US Alfred Friendly Press Fellowship and was appointed the Chairman, Editorial Board of THISDAY Newspapers in 2001.

He also served as Commissioner for Environment under various administrations in Lagos State.

Ngelale said the president expected that the new Chief Executive Officer of the agency to ensure the holistic realization of the commission’s mandate of protecting and promoting the interest and welfare of Nigerian consumers, and ensuring the adoption of measures to guarantee the safety and quality of goods and services.

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The call was sequel to the adoption of a motion by Rep. Muktar Shagaya (APC- Kwara) at plenary on Wednesday.

Earlier, Shagaya said that the provisions of Section 20 of the Constitution places a responsibility on the federal government to protect and improve the environment for present and future generations, and ensure the health and well-being of its citizens.

He said that the increasing use of styrofoam and single-use plastics in Nigeria posed significant environmental and public health risks which included pollution of waterways, soil, and air quality.

The lawmaker said that chemical found in styrofoam, was linked to health issues, such as cancer, vision and hearing loss, impaired memory and concentration, and nervous system effects.

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“Aware that styrofoam is prohibited in Taiwan, Rwanda, England, and many other European countries, together with some towns and states in the United States. Currently, the product is illegal in Lagos and Abia states;

“Also aware that alternatives to styrofoam and single-use plastics, such as biodegradable materials, reusable containers, and recyclable packaging, can reduce environmental impact and public health risks;

“Concerned that the increasing use of styrofoam and single-use plastics in Nigeria not only leads to increased plastic waste and environmental pollution but also poses a significant health risk,” he said.

Shagaya said that there was a need to address the environmental and public health crises posed by styrofoam and single-use plastics to safeguard the future of Nigeria’s natural resources, ecosystems, health, and the well-being of its citizens.

The house, however, urged the federal government to implement a phased approach to the ban by providing sufficient time for businesses and industries to transition to alternative eco-friendly materials and practices.

The lawmakers urged the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, and other relevant agencies to monitor the quality of packaging of foods and beverages, particularly in fast moving consumer goods, FMCGs.

The green chambers said there was a need to ensure that global best practices were followed and all appropriate regulations guiding the whole process were adhered to.

In his ruling, the Deputy Speaker, Rep. Benjamin Kalu  mandated the committees on Healthcare Services, Environment, and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance.

Source: NAN

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Dr. Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner/CEO, NDPB, in his welcome remarks during the signing ceremony at NDPB headquarters in Abuja, expressed optimism about the objectives of the MOU and the enforcement mechanism for consumer rights and data protection.

He noted that the MOU would serve as a model in promoting an ecosystem of cooperation among regulatory authorities.

The National Commissioner called on all organisations who collect personal data/records/information on citizens – irrespective of age or gender – to avoid grave legal and reputational consequences by complying with the provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, NDPR, 2019.

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“Details of compliance processes are contained in the recent Newsletter VOL.1/ NDPB/CN/ 1/22 posted on the website of the Bureau, www.ndpb.gov.ng,”

Head, Legal, Enforcement and Regulations, NDPB, B.B. Bamigboye, in a statement during the weekend, said the National Commissioner further commended FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman, Barrister Babatunde Irukera, for his altruism and commitment towards consumer rights and competitive trade practices in Nigeria.

Dr. Olatunji also commended data controllers and data processors that have complied with the recently issued compliance Notice within a very short time.

He noted that this was a clear evidence that many data controllers and processors in Nigeria were becoming more and more transparent and accountable in their dealings with data subjects.

He added that that was part of the national effort towards ensuring that no one was left behind in the implementation of National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, NDEPS.

In his remarks, the FCCPC Executive Vice-Chairman expressed delight in the momentum that data protection had gained in the country since the establishment of the bureau by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He noted that the institutional possibilities of the MOU in leveraging data governance for sustainable development were compelling.

He pledged the full support of FCCPC to NDPB through the implementation of the MOU.

Both agencies established a Joint Technical and Enforcement Committee and agree among others “to use their best endeavours in the exercise of their respective powers to enforce and ensure compliance with any mutually agreed decisions, actions, orders, recommendations or understandings arising from any effort, initiative, or investigation that is subject of this  MoU or any mutual cooperation/collaborations by parties,” he said.

The MOU would ultimately, foster prompt resolution of complaints, capacity building, awareness among consumers/data subjects and information sharing between the two agencies.

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The confirmation of the nominee, Oladipupo, followed the presentation and consideration of the report of the Committee on Trade and Investment.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi (PDP, Osun East), in his presentation noted that the nominee satisfied the requirements of Sections 153 and 156 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended; Section 5 subsection (1) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018 and Order 121 of the Senate Standing Orders 2015, as amended.

He added that Alabi’s nomination for appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari was made in compliance with the provision of Section 5 subsections (1) and (2) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018.

The lawmaker explained further that the nomination of the nominees for appointment as Chairman, Executive Vice-Chairman/Chief Executive, Executive Commissioners and Non-Executive Commissioners of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) are made pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Act, 2018.

According to him, Kolawole Alabi’s nomination became necessary following President Buhari’s assent to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018 on 30th January, 2019.

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