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CPC plans new regulation for e-commerce

By on July 31, 2015

The Consumer Protection Council on Wednesday unveiled plans to set up a comprehensive framework that would regulate the conduct of electronic commerce transactions in the country.

The Director-General, CPC, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, said this in Abuja at the 2015 Consumer Summit.

The summit with theme: ‘Consumer rights and protection in the emerging digital economy in Africa’, was organised by the World Consumer Forum.

Atoki said the need to come up with the framework became imperative since all businesses that existed in today’s world had ties with digital, mobile and online transactions.

She said as a result of emerging online markets and digital platforms that consumers were interfacing with, there had been series of issues with consumer rights.

She listed some of the issues that needed to be addressed to include non-disclosure of full information on products and services; deceptive advertisement; improper description of products; and poor or non-existent customer service.

Others are delivery of defective products; poor informal dispute settlement procedures; and double payments.

These issues, the DG noted, might increase if adequate measures were not put in place to address the menace and channel gains of digital revolution in the 21st century.

She said while the summit would address some of these emerging consumer rights issues, there was a need for a comprehensive approach to effectively regulate the sector.

Atoki added, “As the apex consumer protection agency of the Federal Government, the CPC is inundated with numerous complaints about unsatisfactory services currently being experienced in our digital economy.

“Our resolve is to have systems that will create a conducive business environment, which will ensure consumer satisfaction in every sector of the Nigerian economy, including the emerging digital economy.”

Also speaking at the forum, the Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Captain Muhtar Usman, said the agency was working with the CPC to ensure that consumers, especially air passengers, get value for their money.

 

[Punch]