The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has shut down the operations of five major textile distributor warehouses in Kano after discovering that the companies were selling fabric pieces labeled at full length but actually delivered at shorter, underweight measurements.
According to the Commission, the affected outlets were engaged in deceptive trade practices by supplying clients with less fabric than the packaging claimed. This sweeping enforcement operation followed weeks of monitoring across key textile hubs in the city.
The products in question came from brands including LGR Product, U&Me Product, Nana Tex Product, V Levintus Product, Mama Africa Product, Hightex Product, UE Product, S-U Velt Product and Jisiki Product. The warehouses were located at addresses such as 238, 249, 313, 315, 413 and 428 Gandun Abada Layout; 38 & 40 Ibrahim Taiwo Road; 87 Bua Rice Mills Street; Links I, II & III Ajasa Inuwa Wada Road; and 287 Gandun Albasa New Layout in Kano city.
Under the law, Section 123(1) prohibits any retailer, trader or supplier from making false or misleading representations to consumers about the quantity or price of goods, and Section 125(1) bars conduct that misrepresents “material facts to consumers.”
FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and CEO Tunji Bello called the discovery of underweight products “a threat to both consumer welfare and fair market competition.” He added, “By undermining honest traders and businesses that comply with lawful standards, this nefarious practice of selling underweight products can drive legitimate retailers out of the market, thereby reducing consumer choice and entrenching anti-competitive behaviour.”
The crackdown comes amid growing concerns about how deceptive trading practices hurt not just individual consumers, but broader supply-chain dynamics. It signals that the FCCPC intends to intensify its oversight of markets to ensure goods conform with declared specifications.
The enforcement action helps protect the integrity of Nigeria’s textile sector by discouraging short-changing consumers and ensuring honest traders aren’t undercut by unfair practices. By promoting a level playing field, such regulatory action can encourage investment and improve market stability, benefiting employment and supply-chain liquidity in the textile industry.
