The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kehinde Kekere-Ekun, has described the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission as a vital institution for safeguarding Nigeria’s business environment and upholding market integrity.

This was disclosed by Justice Kekere-Ekun while speaking on Tuesday at the opening of a three-day Competition and Consumer Protection Law Conference at the National Judicial Institute in Jabi, Abuja.

Kekere-Ekun emphasized that the commission is central to Nigeria’s regulatory framework, promoting fair competition and protecting consumers across key sectors of the economy.

“As the statutory authority responsible for enforcing competition and consumer protection laws, the Commission plays a vital role in safeguarding the integrity of the marketplace,” the Chief Justice said.

Kekere-Ekun noted that the rapid evolution of modern markets, especially with the growth of digital commerce and complex corporate structures, has made competition and consumer protection law one of the most dynamic areas of legal practice globally.

Last month, it was reported that the FCCPC had identified patterns of alleged price manipulation by some domestic airlines during the last festive season, with interim findings also highlighting irregularities over the Christmas period.

The Commission said its investigation will next extend to foreign carriers operating in Nigeria.

The report comes after the Commission announced an industry-wide probe in January, which included a forensic review supported by data collected from airlines operating domestic routes across the country.