FCCPC, Shippers’ Council sign agreement for fair competition among industry operators

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to ensure that operators and consumers are fairly treated in the industry.

According to NAN, the event marking the agreement took place in Abuja on Thursday.

Babatunde Irukera, FCCPC’s chief executive officer, said that the move would remove bottlenecks and increase effective commerce in the industry.

He expressed optimism that the agreement would soon be operational.

“For us, consumption is as much about pricing as it is with disposable income and with satisfaction,” he said. 

“People are likely to purchase again if they are satisfied and if there is enough money to purchase again, so we are partners in making sure that consumers are treated fairly.

“We share the view that shippers are entitled to fair recompense for the work and service they provide and by the same token, they share the view that the interim payers or the ultimate payers for the service they provide are also entitled to a fair value, for money proposition.

“Our work is to find that balance, make sure commerce increases and ensure there are no bottlenecks to commerce.

“We will also ensure that those in the business themselves are not bottlenecks to fairness to the citizens of this country.’’

Emmanuel Jime, executive secretary of NSC, on his part, said: “Cost-effectiveness is the key element of how services are delivered and when competition is properly monitored and consumers protected, it impacts costs.”

“We are sector regulators, we have a common interest, and we have to engender a common understanding,” Jime said.

“There is a need to have this kind of partnership.”

The FCCPC had in 2021 executed a judicial search warrant and order of the federal high court, to actively investigate potential anti-competitive conducts in the shipping industry.