An Examination of the Legal Framework Governing Consumer Protection in Online Transactions in Lagos State

The rapid growth of electronic commerce in Lagos State, South West Nigeria, has outpaced the regulatory mechanisms designed to protect consumers from unfair trade practices, misleading advertisements, and defective digital goods. This study examines the adequacy of the Consumer Protection Council Act and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 in addressing grievances arising from online commercial transactions. Using a descriptive doctrinal methodology, the study analyses statutory provisions, judicial decisions, and regulatory enforcement records of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission between 2019 and 2023. Primary data were gathered through structured interviews with 50 online consumers and 15 e-commerce platform operators in Lagos. Results reveal that consumer complaint resolution is slow, with an average resolution period of 74 days recorded by the Commission. Awareness of available legal remedies was low among 68 percent of surveyed consumers. E-commerce platforms frequently incorporated dispute resolution clauses that displaced Nigerian jurisdiction in favour of foreign arbitral seats, effectively denying consumers practical access to justice. The study concludes that the current framework is structurally sound but operationally weak, undermined by enforcement resource constraints and low consumer legal literacy. Recommendations include mandatory local dispute resolution mechanisms for consumer complaints, increased budgetary allocation to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, and compulsory plain-language disclosure of consumer rights on all e-commerce platforms operating in Nigeria.

Keywords: consumer protection, e-commerce, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, Lagos State, online transactions