On August 19, 2026, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (‘FCCPC or the Commission’) issued a Public Advisory on Mandatory Labelling of Manufactured Goods for Consumer Information (the ‘Advisory’), pursuant to Sections 17(p),(w),(x), 114, 116, 123 and 125 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (‘FCCPA’), 2018. The Advisory was prompted by the increasing circulation, distribution, and sale of consumer goods that do not comply with prevailing standards and regulations governing product labelling.
The Advisory directs all manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers to immediately review their inventories and withdraw from sale any consumer goods that do not comply with applicable labelling requirements. It states that businesses that continue to distribute or sell non-compliant products risk appropriate regulatory enforcement action.
In light of the above, this insight provides an overview of the regulatory context and key implications of the Advisory for businesses and consumers.
Regulatory Objective
Under the FCCPA, the Commission is mandated to promote consumer safety by ensuring strict adherence to labelling requirements in line with applicable standards set by competent regulatory authorities, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). Accordingly, deceptive, incomplete, or misleading product labelling violates consumers’ right to the information required to make informed purchasing decisions and may expose them to health, safety, and economic risks. The Advisory addresses these concerns.
1. Scope and Applicability:
The Advisory is directed at all participants in the supply chain for manufactured consumer goods. Specifically, it applies to:
– manufacturers of consumer goods;
– importers of consumer goods into Nigeria;
– distributors and wholesalers;
– retailers and vendors selling directly to consumers; and
– consumers purchasing manufactured goods.
2. What Should Stakeholders Know?
The Advisory raises several important compliance and practical implications for businesses and consumers, including the following:
a. Mandatory Labelling Requirements: All manufactured consumer goods must bear complete and accurate labelling information, including production dates, expiry or best-before dates, batch numbers, manufacturer details, ingredient lists, allergen information, and country of origin. Non-compliant products must be withdrawn from sale immediately.
b. Prohibition of Deceptive or Misleading Labels: The Advisory specifically targets products bearing misleading or deceptive information, as well as products with missing, illegible, altered, or misrepresented labels. Such labelling violates consumers’ right to information and may expose them to significant health, safety, and economic risks.
c. Immediate Inventory Review and Withdrawal Directive: The Commission has directed all manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers to immediately review their inventories and withdraw from sale any consumer goods that do not comply with applicable labelling requirements. This is a direct compliance obligation, not merely advisory guidance.
d. Enforcement Action for Non-Compliance: Businesses that continue to distribute or sell non-compliant products risk appropriate regulatory enforcement action under the FCCPA. While the Advisory does not specify specific penalties, the FCCPA empowers the Commission to impose significant sanctions for violations of its consumer protection provision such as administrative penalties, orders requiring monetary restitution, refunds, repairs or replacement of non-compliant goods.
e. Consumer Guidance: Consumers are advised to carefully examine product labels before purchase and to avoid products with missing, illegible, altered, misrepresented, or poor-quality labels, as well as those bearing false claims or misleading information. Report suspected cases of non-compliance promptly through the Commission’s official complaint channels.
3. Conclusion
The FCCPC’s Advisory underscores the Commission’s commitment to strengthening nationwide market surveillance and enforcement activities in collaboration with relevant regulatory authorities such as SON and NAFDAC, whilst it signals a more proactive regulatory posture toward product labelling compliance.
Accordingly, manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers should conduct immediate audits of their product labelling practices and inventory to ensure full compliance with applicable labelling standards, given the risk of regulatory enforcement action. Businesses engaged in the manufacture, importation, distribution, or sale of consumer goods should seek guidance from qualified legal and regulatory professionals to ensure compliance with the applicable labelling requirements under the FCCPA and standards set by SON, NAFDAC, and other competent regulatory authorities.
Nimma Jo-Madugu, Partner and Michael Arinze and Chikaodinaka Monwuba, Associates – KENNA LP’s Corporate and Commercial Law Practice Unit
The Legal Insights column by KENNA provides thought leadership on the legal and business issues shaping today’s commercial landscape.