Nigeria’s consumer protection watchdog says it is investigating MTN Nigeria, the nation’s number one mobile phone company, to address consumer complaints across the telecoms, banking and aviation sectors.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) says that the probe, scheduled to run from December 3 to 5, will focus on MTN Nigeria, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), and Air Peace.
The Nigerian competition watchdog says the probe launched against MTN Nigeria,and the two others, is intended to “address issues of poor service delivery, exploitative practices, and potential consumer rights violations.”
The Nigerian competition watchdog says the probe launched against MTN Nigeria,and the two others, is intended to “address issues of poor service delivery, exploitative practices, and potential consumer rights violations.”
The FCCPC cited failures in GTB’s banking services, including network downtimes and difficulties accessing funds through banking applications. GTB has previously faced backlash over prolonged service outages despite recent system upgrades.
MTN Nigeria, the country’s largest telecom operator, will be questioned about persistent issues with undelivered data services, unexplained data depletion, and inadequate customer support, according to the FCCPC.
“Similarly, Air Peace Limited will address allegations of exploitative ticket pricing, including significant price hikes for advance bookings on certain domestic routes,” the commission says.
The inquiries are anchored in the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018, “specifically Sections 17, 18, 32, 33, 80, 110, 111, 112, and 113, which empower the FCCPC to investigate and resolve practices that undermine consumer rights, disrupt markets, or create unfair competition,” the FCCPC says.
Ondaje Ijagwu, the FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, says in a statement that “The FCCPC’s engagement with these companies provides a platform to address consumer concerns, clarify business practices, and enforce compliance with regulatory standards.”
“The companies will be required to appear before the Commission on designated days to provide information and responses to enable the Commission to make determinations and resolve pending issues promptly,” the competition watchdog states.
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