The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, on Wednesday, signed a renewed Memorandum of Understanding, MoU with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, to safeguard consumers and the quality of regulated products.
Speaking during the signing ceremony in Abuja, the Director General of the of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojosola Adeyeye, commended the leadership of FCCPC, describing its Executive Vice Chairman, Mr. Tunji Bello, as responsive and committed to protecting consumers.
Adeyeye said recent engagements with the FCCPC leadership had shown a level of urgency that reflected the seriousness required in consumer protection.
The NAFDAC boss noted that, on two occasions when she raised complaints with Bello, he responded almost immediately and the affected business took corrective action.
“That is the way it is supposed to be,” she said, adding that Nigerians should receive the same level of protection available to consumers in other parts of the world.
In a statement, the Director of Corporate Affairs at FCCPC, Ondaje Ijagwu, said the NAFDAC boss noted that the renewed MoU would strengthen collaboration between both agencies in safeguarding consumers and ensuring the safety, quality and efficacy of regulated products.
The statement noted that although NAFDAC’s mandate focuses on products, she stressed that the ultimate concern remains the people who use them.
“It is people that use those products, and that is where the consumer comes in,” she said. “Consumers have the right to complain so that NAFDAC’s work can be effective.”
She also praised Bello’s willingness to collaborate, saying partnerships must go beyond signed documents. According to her, an MoU has little value unless it is backed by practical action.
Earlier, Bello said the agreement would improve coordination in areas where consumer protection and product safety responsibilities overlap.
He explained that while the FCCPC protects consumers from unfair, deceptive and exploitative market practices, NAFDAC regulates the safety and quality of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals and other regulated products.
He said the renewed MoU would support better information sharing, faster complaint handling, joint investigations and deeper technical collaboration between the agencies.
“For consumers, the benefits are clear. There will be more straightforward pathways for lodging complaints, faster resolution of issues, and stronger enforcement where standards are not met,” Bello said.
He added that effective regulation strengthens market confidence and fair competition, but noted that the success of the agreement would depend on implementation.
“The real task lies in implementation,” he said. “The systems established here must be used actively, reviewed regularly and strengthened where necessary.”
Bello reaffirmed the FCCPC’s commitment to working with NAFDAC and other institutions to protect consumers and promote fair, transparent and efficient markets across Nigeria.
