LASCOPA orders Lagos businesses to disclose product changes or face sanctions

The Lagos State Government has mandated businesses to disclose any alterations to their products or face regulatory penalties, according to a statement from the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA). The directive, issued by General Manager/Chief Executive Officer Afolabi Solebo, applies to all manufacturers, importers, distributors, and other entities operating within Lagos State.

Solebo emphasized that LASCOPA will ramp up market surveillance and enforcement to ensure adherence to the directive, warning that businesses engaging in undisclosed product modifications will be sanctioned under the Lagos State Consumer Protection Law and other relevant regulations. The agency also urged businesses to standardize the display of crucial information such as Date of Production (DP), Best Before (BB), Expiry Date (ED), Batch Numbers (BN), and measurements like grams (g), kilograms (kg), millilitres (ml), and litres (L).

This directive follows a recent collaboration between LASCOPA and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) aimed at tackling consumer issues, including pricing transparency, minimum labelling requirements, and return and refund policies. FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman Tunji Bello, represented by South West Coordinator Olubumi Otti, stressed the importance of consumers having confidence that the prices displayed are the exact amounts they will pay.

Solebo reiterated that providing accurate product information is a legal obligation, stressing that labels, packaging, advertisements, and consumer-facing descriptions must accurately reflect the products being sold. In March 2026, LASCOPA reported resolving over 11,000 consumer rights violation cases and recovering more than N860 million for Lagos residents over the past five years.

The new directive underscores the Lagos State Government's commitment to enhancing marketplace transparency and ensuring consumers have reliable information when making purchasing decisions.