LASCOPA finds 238 Lagos stores violating consumer law in six months

…Agency inspects 663 retail outlets, warns sellers of fake, expired goods of prosecution

By Adebola Isimijola, Lagos

The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) has uncovered 238 retail outlets violating the state’s Consumer Protection Law after inspecting 663 stores and supermarkets across Lagos between January and June 2026.

The agency said the violations were detected during routine enforcement operations aimed at removing counterfeit, expired, hazardous and substandard products from supermarkets, grocery stores, pharmacies, markets, shopping malls and other retail outlets across the state.

The General Manager/Chief Executive Officer of LASCOPA, Afolabi Solebo, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying the exercise covered the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas of Lagos State.

According to Solebo, officials carried out unannounced inspections to verify product certifications, examine production and expiry dates, assess storage conditions and confiscate products that failed to meet the required safety and quality standards.

He warned operators of retail outlets against selling fake, expired or substandard products, stressing that offenders would face the full weight of the law.

“Consumer safety is non-negotiable. We are sending a clear message to every operator in the retail value chain: if you trade in fake, expired, hazardous, or substandard products and you’re caught, you will face the full wrath of the law. This is a battle we are determined to win for every Lagosian,” he said.

Solebo explained that the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency was established under the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency Law, 2025 (as amended), to safeguard consumers’ rights and promote fair trade practices.

He urged operators of supermarkets, grocery stores, markets, shopping malls and other retail outlets to return expired, unsafe, defective or substandard products to their suppliers rather than display or sell them to unsuspecting consumers.

The LASCOPA boss added that businesses found selling counterfeit, expired, hazardous or substandard products risk immediate closure, seizure of offending goods, prosecution and other sanctions provided under the law.

He also advised consumers to check product information carefully before making purchases and report suspicious, counterfeit, expired or unsafe products through the agency’s official complaint channels.