The Lagos State Government has warned supermarkets and retail outlets against misleading consumers through hidden charges, deceptive product labelling and failure to display prices, threatening enforcement against businesses violating consumer protection regulations.
The warning comes as the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) disclosed that it had issued 437 notices of non-compliance to supermarkets and retail outlets following market surveillance exercises across the state.
The agency said the violations included inadequate price disclosure, misleading product labels and failure to provide essential information about products.
LASCOPA’s General Manager and Chief Executive Officer, Afolabi Solebo, disclosed this in a statement issued in Lagos on Thursday.
He said the agency had also secured ₦759.35m and $14,901.80 in refunds, billing adjustments and other forms of redress for consumers over the past six years.
According to him, the agency received 11,120 complaints from consumers within the period and successfully resolved 10,720 of them.
He said 250 complaints remained at various stages of mediation, while 150 had been referred to other relevant state agencies.
The complaints covered several sectors, including online marketing, automobile sales, education, logistics, telecommunications, aviation, road transportation, hospitality, banking, finance, insurance, housing, food and beverages.
Other sectors included supermarkets, household appliances, medical services, oil and gas, and electricity distribution.
Solebo said the agency had intensified its consumer protection campaigns, particularly against counterfeit and expired products, deceptive advertising and hidden charges.
He urged residents to demand receipts, check product labels and insist on accurate information before making purchases.
He also highlighted LASCOPA’s ‘No Price Tag, No Sales’ campaign, which seeks to promote transparent pricing and discourage businesses from concealing the cost of goods from customers.
On its operations, Solebo said the agency had strengthened its presence across Lagos through eight annex offices in Agege, Badagry, Epe, Ikorodu, Ojo, Bariga, Ikoyi-Obalende and Isolo.
He explained that the offices were equipped with operational tools to bring complaint management, mediation and consumer education closer to residents.
He added that the agency was engaging local government authorities to secure additional office accommodation ahead of 2027.
The general manager further disclosed that LASCOPA had intensified public enlightenment through radio and television programmes, community engagements, stakeholder meetings and social media campaigns.
He said the initiatives were designed to educate residents about their rights to safety, accurate information, fair value, freedom of choice and redress.
Solebo said the agency’s enforcement activities were guided by the Lagos State Consumer Protection Law 2025, as amended, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018.
He also disclosed that the agency had strengthened its partnership with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on April 21 in Abuja.
The agreement, he said, provided for information sharing, joint consumer interventions and coordinated enforcement activities between state and federal consumer protection institutions.
On revenue generation, Solebo revealed that LASCOPA generated more than ₦20m for the state government between January and September, surpassing its annual revenue target of ₦10m by more than 100 per cent.
He said the agency also conducted unannounced inspections of manufacturing facilities to ensure compliance with applicable standards and consumer protection requirements.
He added that LASCOPA would continue collaborating with government institutions, development partners, civil society organisations and scientific laboratories to strengthen product verification and consumer safety.
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