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By Merit Ibe
Stakeholders have renewed calls for stronger collaboration among regulators, manufacturers, businesses, the media, and consumers to enhance consumer protection and build trust in Nigeria’s marketplace.
The call was made during the commemoration of World Consumer Rights Day 2026, organised by the Brand Journalists’ Association of Nigeria (BJAN).
Themed: “Safe Products, Confident Consumers,” the event, hosted by Rite Foods Limited at its manufacturing facility in Ososa, Ogun State, featured discussions on consumer protection as well as a guided tour of the company’s production plant.
The 2026 theme highlighted the need to ensure product safety, eliminate hazardous goods from the market and strengthen public trust, while encouraging governments and businesses to uphold their responsibilities to consumers.
General Manager for Operations at Rite Foods Limited, Olufemi Ajileye, in his speech, described the company as a world-class organisation committed to global standards in quality and safety.
He said the firm complies strictly with regulatory requirements and continues to invest in advanced technology and skilled personnel to enhance operational efficiency.
Ajileye noted that since entering Nigeria’s carbonated soft drink market, previously dominated by two major players, the company has prioritised product safety and high production standards as key strategies for building and sustaining consumer trust.
According to him, rigorous quality control procedures are applied to all products, including periodic laboratory testing of water samples abroad to confirm the absence of contaminants such as heavy metals.
In her keynote, consumer rights advocate and founder of the Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria, CAFON, Sola Salako-Ajulo, described consumer confidence as essential to economic activity. She explained that confident consumers are more willing to participate in market transactions but noted that many Nigerians still lack adequate awareness of their rights.
Salako-Ajulo observed that consumers often feel powerless when companies fail to address complaints, leaving them uncertain about how to seek redress. While some turn to social media to express grievances, she said such efforts rarely produce consistent results unless they attract widespread public attention.
“Consumer confidence is the oxygen of any market,” she said, acknowledging improvements in Nigeria’s consumer protection laws but pointing to a persistent gap in public education.
To help bridge this gap, she disclosed that CAFON has developed an artificial intelligence-powered platform known as the CAFON Consumers Companion (3C), designed to educate Nigerians about their rights and guide them through dispute resolution processes.
Also, the Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Tunji Bello, represented by the Commission’s South-West Zonal Coordinator Olubunmi Dorcas Otti, underscored the importance of trust in strengthening consumer participation in the economy.
“Consumer confidence begins with trust. When consumers are assured that products meet safety and quality standards, they engage more actively in the economy,” Bello said.
The FCCPC boss urged businesses to maintain transparency and strict compliance with product safety standards, while encouraging the media to continue providing accurate and evidence-based reporting that keeps the public informed and holds companies accountable.
She noted that World Consumer Rights Day provides an opportunity each year to review consumer welfare and strengthen trust between businesses and customers.
On her part, Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by Tinuola Akinnubi, reaffirmed that consumer rights are legally enforceable obligations.
She highlighted fundamental rights such as the right to safety, information, choice, hearing, and redress, stressing the importance of post-market surveillance, technological traceability systems, and consumer education campaigns.
“Consumer trust is built on compliance, transparency, and integrity, not marketing alone. Regulators, industry players, and the media must work collectively to ensure a safe and confident marketplace,” she said.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, BJAN Chairman, Daniel Obi, emphasised that protecting consumer interests requires a shared commitment across all sectors.
“Consumer protection is not the responsibility of regulators alone. Businesses, the media, civil society groups, and consumers themselves must work together to ensure safe, fair, and transparent marketplaces,” Obi stated.
He said the association organises the annual programme to align with global efforts aimed at highlighting consumer concerns and promoting improved service delivery.
He added that BJAN has sustained the initiative for more than a decade as part of its commitment to raising public awareness on consumer issues.
During the participants embarked on a guided tour of the production facility of Rite Foods Limited, where they observed the live manufacturing processes of some of the company’s flagship products. The tour guide provided stakeholders with practical insight into quality assurance systems and safety measures deployed by the Rite foods manufacturer to protect consumers.
Industry experts described the 2026 World Consumer Rights Day forum as a significant step toward building a more transparent, technologically driven, and consumer-focused marketplace in Nigeria, emphasizing that sustained collaboration among regulators, businesses, media organizations, and civil society is essential to achieving stronger consumer protection nationwide.
BJAN concluded the event by reaffirming its commitment to promoting consumer awareness and strengthening dialogue among stakeholders to ensure safer products and greater confidence in Nigeria’s marketplace.
