A series of landmark court judgments is sending a powerful message to major service providers in Nigeria: consumer rights are not optional. The rulings underscore a zero-tolerance approach to corporate impunity, holding companies accountable for poor service, wrongful disconnections, and abusive policies.
The judgments come as frustration mounts among Nigerian consumers who often face neglect and overbilling from dominant service providers in sectors like telecommunications, broadcasting, and power.
In a significant victory for a subscriber, a Lagos High Court has ordered Multichoice Nigeria Limited to pay N5 million in general damages for the wrongful disconnection of a customer’s cable TV subscription.
His Royal Highness, Eze Ben Onuora, the Obi of Okwudor in Imo State, sued Multichoice after suffering “grievous inconvenience” and emotional distress due to incessant disruptions to his DStv service, despite having proof of payment.
Justice R. O. Olukolu held that Multichoice acted wrongfully by disrupting an active subscription without justification. The court based its judgment on the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 2018 (FCCPA), which makes service providers liable for failing to perform to expected standards.
In addition to the N5 million fine, the court ordered Multichoice to immediately reconnect and restore the claimant’s service and extend the subscription to cover the entire period of the wrongful disconnection. Interest on the judgment sum was also set at 10% per annum until full payment is made.
The judge explicitly stated that the judgment reaffirms “the legal responsibility of service providers to honour their contractual obligations and the right of consumers to seek redress when such obligations are breached.”
In a separate, equally important ruling, an Enugu High Court has declared the common “no refund after payment” policy of transport companies illegal, null, and void.
The court ordered Peace Mass Transit to pay N500,000 in damages to a customer, Tochukwu Odo, whose request for a N500 refund was denied after his scheduled bus trip was delayed for hours and ultimately terminated.
Justice C. O. Ajah ruled that the company’s refusal violated Section 120 of the FCCP Act 2018, which protects consumers when a contractual obligation is not fulfilled.
The rulings are reminder that companies, even those with dominant market presence, must be accountable and treat consumers with the level of care required by law and global best practices.
Akonte Ekine, a brand and reputation management expert and founder of the Consumers Value Awards, praised the court actions.
“It is time we had better market experiences, where the promises of service providers are evaluated not just by what they claim, but by what consumers actually experience,” Ekine said. He stressed that consumers who take legal steps compel companies to realise that their conduct is being monitored by both the public and regulators.
The judgments signal a new era of enforcement, empowering Nigerian consumers to challenge exploitative practices and paving the way for a more responsible corporate environment.
