The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has called for sustained capacity building for journalists covering competition and consumer protection, describing it as a relatively new area requiring specialised knowledge.
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, made the call when he received the newly elected executive members of the Commerce and Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CICAN) at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Represented by the Executive Commissioner for Operations, Louis Odion, Bello said the commission recognised the importance of strengthening journalists’ understanding of competition and consumer protection issues.
“It is true that competition reporting is new in our jurisdiction,” he said, assuring CICAN that its request for training and engagement would receive due consideration and appropriate follow-up.
Bello said the relative novelty of competition law and consumer protection regulation in Nigeria had made stakeholder education a priority.
He noted that the FCCPC recently supported a training programme for judges through the National Judicial Institute (NJI), aimed at improving their understanding of competition-related matters.
“We recognised that because it is a new terrain, the judges themselves are not familiar with the nuances. So we brought in experts on competition,” he said.
The FCCPC chief executive also highlighted the media’s role in increasing public awareness of the commission, saying sustained coverage had helped make its activities more visible to Nigerians.
“If FCCPC is becoming more known to the public, it is as a result of the kind of publicity you have given us,” he said.
Bello added that reports and statements issued by the commission often received prominent media attention, which he said the FCCPC appreciated.
Earlier, CICAN Abuja Chairman, Gabriel Kuma, reaffirmed the association’s commitment to constructive journalism and stronger engagement with regulatory institutions.
Kuma said effective regulation required a healthy relationship between regulators and the media, built on openness, professionalism, mutual respect and access to accurate information.
“We are open to constructive reporting that holds institutions accountable. We believe that a strong regulator should have a strong media relationship,” he said.
He said CICAN was prepared to support the FCCPC in educating Nigerians on consumer rights, regulatory developments and fair competition, while ensuring journalists had the knowledge and access needed to professionally interrogate and explain regulatory activities.
“Where you need the support of the media in educating Nigerians, explaining important regulatory developments or creating greater awareness about consumer rights and fair competition, you can count on CICAN,” Kuma said.
