Africa: Consumer Protection

Nigerian courts are asserting jurisdiction over cross-border product liability claims based on where harm occurs, how products are distributed, and whether markets are deliberately targeted. This analysis examines the practical factors that determine whether foreign manufacturers and digital platforms face exposure in Nigeria, even without physical presence in the country.

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?

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.

ENSafrica's latest legal bulletin examines critical regulatory shifts across Africa, from South Africa's mandatory monthly opt-out cleansing under amended CPA rules to Rwanda's new VAT framework for cross-border digital services. The collection addresses constitutional interpretation in Ghana, AI policy governance failures, merger threshold updates, and emerging challenges in crypto regulation and prediction markets.

The recent judgment of the Federal High Court of Nigeria in Lifebridge Medical Diagnostic Centre Ltd v. FCCPC (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1019/2021) marks a significant development in Nigeria’s regulatory landscape...

In April 2026, the Federal High Court, Abuja, affirmed the authority of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate patient complaints arising from healthcare services, including allegations of medical negligence

ENSafrica's latest legal bulletin examines critical regulatory shifts across Africa, from South Africa's mandatory monthly opt-out cleansing under amended CPA rules to Rwanda's new VAT framework for cross-border digital services. The collection addresses constitutional interpretation in Ghana, AI policy governance failures, merger threshold updates, and emerging challenges in crypto regulation and prediction markets.

On 15 March each year, the global community celebrates World Consumer Rights Day.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recently published a draft Internet Code of Practice (the "Code"), aimed at promoting a safer and more responsible internet environment for consumers.

There is a kind of low-key disillusionment that has crept into the legal profession. It’s not one big moment, it’s a build-up. You feel it in courtrooms where decisions don’t always seem purely reasoned...

The policy model – which is supported by the WIPO, the Algerian National Institute of Industrial Property (INAPI) and the National Copyright and Related Rights Office (ONDA)...

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.