Africa: Consumer Protection

The expansion of e-commerce in Nigeria has created complex questions about legal responsibility when defective products sold by third-party vendors cause harm to consumers. When faulty electronics, counterfeit goods, or hazardous items reach buyers through platforms like Jumia and Konga, determining liability becomes challenging: should the often-untraceable third-party seller bear responsibility, or does the platform that facilitated, profited from, and controlled the transaction share the burden?

On the night of 13 October 2014, two Grade 12 learners— B, aged 18, and O, aged 17 — drowned while attending a school revision camp. The camp had been organised to assist learners in their Matric examination preparation, and no provision had been made for swimming.

The EU's Product Liability Directive has been modernised to reflect today's complex supply chains, expanding liability beyond manufacturers to include online platforms, fulfilment providers, and other economic operators.