In search for a consumer protection antidote in nigeria: a case for the amendment of the cpc act, 1992

Consumer’s rights are inalienable rights that must be protected by the consumers, business organizations and the government. Public policies emanate from the government of a state and are geared towards regulating business relationships among the citizenry or distributing social amenities to individuals and communities. The CPC was established by the CPC Act,1992 and charged with the responsibility to promote, protect, and safeguard the rights and interest of consumers with respect to the consumption of goods and services. Consumer protection in Nigeria had remained at the lowest ebb in spite of the prevalence of administrative and regulatory framework. This work observes that although the CPC Act recognized the right of consumers, it does not specifically provide how these rights should be enforced, as they were merely implied and subsumed into the function of the CPC. Consumer awareness of these protective laws is low, which is evidenced in the near absence of litigation against sellers even in cases of obvious infringement. Ordinarily, the CPC should be proactive in safeguarding the rights and welfare of consumers in Nigeria. This work is an expository examination of the CPC Act in Nigeria and appraises the role of CPC in the protection of Consumers in Nigeria. The paper also discusses the major problems encountered by consumers in production process, the causes of disparity in power relation between the producers and consumers, the role of regulatory and administrative bodies in solving these problems, the effectiveness, redress and enforcement mechanisms and the control of monopoly. The ultimate goal is to determine the reasonableness or otherwise of tinkering with the CPC Act, 1992 for better Consumer Protection in Nigeria.