Several shops in Abuja’s Utako Market were shut down on Tuesday during an enforcement action led by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), which is investigating the sale of rice falsely presented as imported brands.
With backing from law enforcement personnel, FCCPC officials targeted traders suspected of passing off locally milled rice as premium foreign varieties—a practice believed to have misled countless consumers.
During the operation, the FCCPC sealed multiple stores carrying suspicious rice stock and summoned shop owners for further questioning at its headquarters.
Boladale Adeyinka, Director of Surveillance and Investigation at the commission, stated that their actions were informed by credible intelligence pointing to a large-scale trend where local rice is repackaged to resemble long-banned foreign brands.
“What we’ve seen is a clear case of consumer deception,” Adeyinka said during the raid. “These brands haven’t been officially imported into the country since around 2015, yet they’re still found in abundance on market shelves.”
She highlighted that this kind of repackaging exploits buyers who associate certain foreign brands with higher quality, despite those products no longer being legitimately available in Nigeria.
Adeyinka confirmed that administrative measures would be taken against those found culpable, including fines and possible legal action. She also stressed the commission’s commitment to identifying the sources of the fake branding and confiscating affected products.
“This isn’t just a case of mislabeled packaging—it’s an intentional ploy to manipulate consumer perception and drive up prices,” she noted. “We intend to follow the supply chain back to its source.”
The FCCPC emphasized that those obstructing the investigation or refusing to cooperate could face legal consequences.
Meanwhile, members of the Utako Market traders’ association expressed concerns about the lack of clear communication from regulators. Igwenma Alex, the association’s secretary, said, “If certain goods are no longer permitted or have been blacklisted, there needs to be more awareness among traders to prevent this kind of confusion.”
One affected shop owner insisted he was unaware the rice he purchased had been misrepresented. He claimed to source his products from suppliers in Kaduna and Kano and said he wouldn’t have stocked the items had he known about the branding issues.
“I just buy what’s brought to me,” he explained. “If there had been any clear notice or awareness, I would’ve avoided these products entirely.”
The FCCPC’s investigation remains ongoing, with more markets and suppliers expected to come under scrutiny in the coming weeks.
