Dike Onwuamaeze
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) yesterday sealed the operational premises of PWAN Max Property and Business Solution Limited in Sangotedo, along Lekki-Epe Expressway, over non-allocation of 20 plots of land that were fully paid by a subscriber.
The FCCPC said in press statement that the sealing of the PWAN premises followed a consumer’s complaint against the management of PWAN for non-allocation of 20 plots of land fully subscribed to and paid for by a consumer.
Following the complaint, the commission initiated an investigation and subsequently, invited the respondent, PWAN.
The FCCPC said that PWAN, however, declined to honour two invitations sent to them, which necessitated the commission to issue a summons “at which PWAN entered into a witness statement and agreed to allocate the 20 plots of land and issue all necessary documents regarding the 20 plots of land on or before June 30, 2025.”
The commission, however, said that PWAN failed to honour the agreements, and the commission issued a Compliance Notice to this undertaking, as permitted under Section 150(1) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018.
It said: “That notice, as required by Section 150(2), clearly set out the nature of the non-compliance, the steps required to remedy it, the deadline for taking those steps, and the penalties for failure to comply.
“Despite being duly served with the compliance notice and given a reasonable period to take the required remedial steps, this undertaking has failed to comply with the notice.
“Consequently, and in direct exercise of FCCPC powers under Section 150(4)(a) of the FCCPA, 2018 – which states that where an undertaking fails to comply with a compliance notice, the commission ‘shall shut down or close any premises from which the notice continues to be breached until the breach or non-compliance is remedied,’ hence the FCCPC has today proceeded to seal these premises.”
The FCCPC explained that “this enforcement action is not punitive in the first instance but is protective and corrective,” adding that “the sealing will remain in force until the commission is satisfied that the prior breach has been fully remedied, at which point a compliance certificate will be issued under Section 150(3).”
It also urged all businesses to take compliance notices seriously, as the law would not permit the commission to exercise discretion once a clear violation persists after a notice has been ignored.
“We also urge consumers to exercise due diligence in all transactions and to verify any business thoroughly before committing their money,” the commission said.