The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has launched an inquiry into Air Peace, Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), and MTN, a telecommunications firm over poor service delivery, exploitative practices, and possible violations of consumers’ rights.
In a statement released, FCCPC stated that Air Peace was expected to respond to allegations of exploitative ticket pricing, including significant price hikes for advance bookings on certain domestic routes.
The statement signed by Ondaje Ijagwu, Director, Corporate Affairs, the Commission also noted that in the banking sector, the Commission would engage GTB over reports of network failures that hinder customers from accessing their funds or using banking applications.
“The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has launched a major inquiry into widespread consumer complaints against leading players in the banking, telecommunications, and aviation sectors. The inquisitions, which will begin on December 3rd, 4th, and 5th respectively, are intended to address issues of poor service delivery, exploitative practices, and potential consumer rights violations”, the statement explained.
Also in the telecommunications sector, MTN Nigeria faces questions regarding persistent complaints of undelivered data services, unexplained data depletion, and inadequate customer care.
According to the Commission, the probe will begin on December 3rd, 4th, and 5th, 2024, respectively.
The Commission noted that the inquiries were being conducted under 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 explained that the engagement with these companies would provide a platform to address consumer concerns, clarify business practices, and enforce compliance with regulatory standards.
The companies would 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.
“This action reflects the Commission’s commitment to safeguarding consumer rights, fostering a fair marketplace and ensuring accountability across all sectors.
“We urge consumers to continue to report instances of poor service delivery or exploitative practices to the FCCPC through its official channels”, the statement added.
