The Lagos State Government has cautioned businesses against using blanket “No Refund, No Return and No Cancellation” policies to deny customers remedies protected by consumer protection laws.

The warning was issued by the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency following complaints about businesses relying on internal policies to reject requests for refunds, replacements and other forms of compensation.

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The agency’s General Manager and Chief Executive Officer, Afolabi Solebo, gave the warning during a mediation session at its headquarters in Ikeja involving a customer and an event centre over a disputed cancellation fee.

The customer had booked the facility and paid a 50 per cent deposit but later sought to cancel the reservation.

However, the event centre reportedly insisted on retaining 50 per cent of the total booking cost, citing its cancellation policy.

Reacting to the dispute, Solebo said business policies and contractual agreements must comply with the Lagos State Consumer Protection Law 2025, as amended, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018.

He emphasised that statutory provisions take precedence where a company’s internal rules conflict with legally guaranteed consumer protections.

In a statement shared by the state government on Facebook on Wednesday, LASCOPA said it had continued to receive complaints from customers denied refunds or other remedies because of restrictive company policies.

The agency warned businesses against using blanket disclaimers and contractual clauses to avoid their legal responsibilities.

However, it clarified that consumer protection laws do not guarantee automatic full refunds for every transaction, noting that eligibility for a refund, return or cancellation depends on the circumstances and applicable legal provisions.

It explained that a customer’s decision to change their mind does not, on its own, establish a legal entitlement to a refund.

LASCOPA consequently urged businesses to review their refund arrangements, warranty conditions, cancellation fees and contractual terms to ensure they comply with consumer protection requirements.

Consumers were also advised to carefully examine terms and conditions before making payments, request receipts, keep transaction records and report suspected unfair business practices.

Solebo disclosed that the agency had received several complaints over the preceding six months concerning business practices allegedly undermining consumer rights.

He said some of the cases were still under investigation, while others had been resolved through the agency’s intervention.

The latest warning follows the agency’s continued efforts to address consumer disputes across different sectors of the Lagos economy.

In March, LASCOPA disclosed that it had resolved more than 11,000 consumer rights violation cases and recovered over N860m for residents within five years.

According to Solebo, the complaints involved sectors including banking, electricity, transportation, hospitality, education and healthcare.

In April, The PUNCH reported that the agency secured a N2.5m refund for a Lagos-based engineer, Peter Obidike, after goods transported from Abuja were damaged in transit.