CCC-AI warns that unfair cocoa imports and weak enforcement are harming local manufacturers and putting Nigerian consumers at risk
A Lagos-based consumer advocacy group, the Centre for Consumer Concern, Awareness and Initiative, has warned that regulatory exemptions granted to importers of cocoa-based products are creating unfair competition and weakening consumer protection in Nigeria.
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The group said in a statement on Monday that importers of cocoa-based and dairy products are exempted from pre-shipment Standards Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme certification, giving them an advantage over local manufacturers who must comply with the requirement.
The organisation said the practice distorts competition and allows non-compliant products to enter the Nigerian market.
The Centre for Consumer Concern, Awareness and Initiative said weak enforcement of existing regulatory guidelines has widened what it described as a regulatory gap, making it easier for substandard or unsafe products to reach consumers.
The group also cited the recent global recall of contaminated batches of SMA infant formula as further evidence of what it called declining regulatory vigilance around imported food products.
The organisation said the two issues are linked by a broader pattern of weak compliance and enforcement in Nigeria’s consumer protection system.
“These are not isolated incidents,” the group said.
“They point to a pattern where regulatory vigilance is weakening, corporate compliance is inconsistent, and consumers are being placed at unacceptable risk.”
The organisation urged the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to lead a coordinated regulatory response by establishing a joint task force with the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, the Nigeria Customs Service and consumer groups.
It said such a task force should focus on harmonising regulations, strengthening enforcement and improving risk management for imported products.
The group also called on brands and importers to take responsibility for the safety of their products and to comply fully with Nigerian regulations.
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“Nigerian consumers deserve safe products, fair markets and regulators who act decisively in the public interest,” the group said.
