‘No refund’ policies can’t override consumer rights, Lagos warns businesses
AI Executive Briefing
Gemini Flash AI~45s readThe Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency has issued a formal warning to businesses against using restrictive 'no refund, no return' policies to bypass legal obligations. The agency emphasized that statutory laws supersede private company policies in disputes involving consumer rights.
Context & Background
- ✦The warning is grounded in the Lagos State Consumer Protection Law 2025 and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018.
- ✦Businesses are being urged to review their contractual terms to ensure they do not conflict with legal requirements regarding refunds and cancellations.
Key Figures & Named Entities
•Afolabi Solebo, General Manager and CEO of LASCOPA, who stated that applicable laws take precedence over internal company policies.•The agency reported recovering over ₦860m in consumer-related cases over a five-year period and a specific ₦2.5m refund for a consumer in April.
Outlook & Next Steps
LASCOPA continues to investigate ongoing complaints across various sectors including banking, electricity, and hospitality, while advising consumers to retain transaction records and report unfair practices.
Key Takeaways
AI Summary- The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) has declared that internal business policies like 'no refund' clauses cannot override state and federal consumer protection laws.
- Statutory laws, specifically the Lagos State Consumer Protection Law 2025 and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, take precedence over private contractual terms.
- While businesses must comply with the law, consumers are not automatically entitled to refunds simply for changing their minds, as eligibility depends on specific circumstances.
Key Facts:March: LASCOPA resolved over 11,000 consumer-rights cases and recovered over ₦860m for residents over a five-year period.April: LASCOPA secured a ₦2.5m refund for an engineer whose goods were damaged during transit.
Editorial Excerpt
The Lagos State Government has warned businesses that 'no refund, no return' policies cannot override consumer rights guaranteed under state and federal la
Frequently Asked Questions About This Story
Does a 'no refund' policy protect a business from all consumer claims?
No. The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency maintains that internal company policies cannot override statutory protections provided by the Lagos State Consumer Protection Law 2025 and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018.
Are consumers entitled to a refund if they simply change their minds?
Not necessarily. The agency clarified that changing one's mind does not automatically guarantee an entitlement to a refund, as the right to a refund or cancellation depends on the specific circumstances of the transaction.
