FCCPC unseals Ikeja DisCo, says firm committed to resolve consumer complaints

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) says it has unsealed the headquarters of Ikeja Electric Plc after the company committed to a binding undertaking to comply with a remedial process following the violation of consumer rights.

On December 11, the FCCPC sealed the DisCo’s headquarters in Lagos for allegedly violating consumer rights.

The commission had said the company failed to comply with a NERC directive to unbundle a maximum demand account into 20 individual accounts for a customer who had been without power for over two and a half years.

In a statement on Friday, Ondaje Ijagwu, the director of corporate affairs, said Ikeja Electric committed to resolving all consumer complaints referred to it by the commission within agreed timelines.

However, the FCCPC warned that any breach of the undertaking would expose the DisCo to renewed and escalated enforcement actions under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act.

Speaking on the issue, Tunji Bello, executive vice-chairman and chief executive officer of the FCCPC, said the commission’s intervention was crucial to enforce the provisions of the FCCPA (2018).

“Our responsibility is to ensure that consumers are treated fairly and that service providers comply with lawful decisions and directives,” Bello was quoted as saying.

“Enforcement is not an end in itself. Where compliance is achieved and credible commitments are made, the Commission will respond appropriately.”

Bello said the outcome reflects the commission’s balanced approach to regulation.

He added that the FCCPC intervenes decisively where “consumer harm persists, and we de-escalate where enforceable compliance is secured”.

The CEO said what remains constant is the agency’s “duty to protect consumers and uphold regulatory accountability.