The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has sealed five textile warehouses in Kano for allegedly engaging in deceptive business practices and exploiting consumers through the sale of underweight and shortened fabric materials.
The operation, carried out on Wednesday after weeks of surveillance, uncovered widespread manipulation of fabric lengths and misrepresentation of product measurements in major textile markets across the state.
According to a statement by the Commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, the enforcement was part of a nationwide crackdown on unfair trade practices in Nigeria’s retail and manufacturing sectors. The sealed warehouses, located in the Gandun Abada and Gandun Albasa layouts, Ibrahim Taiwo Road, and other parts of Kano metropolis, were found to be selling fabrics that were significantly shorter than the measurements indicated on their labels, violating the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.
The operation was led by the Commission’s Director of Surveillance and Investigation, Mrs. Boladale Adeyinka. Ijagwu said, “In a major operation in Kano, operatives of the FCCPC on Wednesday shut down the warehouses of five textile distributors engaged in unethical business practices. Our surveillance confirmed that several distributors were selling underweight and shortened fabrics to unsuspecting consumers while charging full prices for less quantity.”
The affected products include popular fabric brands such as LGR, U&Me, Nana Tex, V Levintus, Mama Africa, Hightex, UE, S-U Velt, and Jisiki, all widely sold in northern markets.
Under Section 123(1) of the FCCPA, it is unlawful for any retailer, trader, or supplier to make false or misleading representations about the quantity, price, or quality of goods sold to consumers. Section 125(1) further prohibits any conduct that misleads consumers about material facts of a product. Violations attract penalties such as fines, restitution, or sealing of business premises.
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, said the Commission would continue to take decisive action against traders and distributors who engage in deceptive trade practices that undermine consumer trust and fair competition.
“By undermining honest traders who comply with lawful standards, the practice of selling underweight fabrics distorts competition, erodes consumer trust, and drives legitimate retailers out of business,” Bello said.
He commended the diligence of the enforcement teams led by Mrs. Adeyinka and acknowledged the cooperation of security agencies during the operation. Bello reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to protecting consumers and warned that similar actions would be extended to other sectors and regions.
“We will not hesitate to seal any facility or prosecute any business entity that violates the rights of consumers or engages in deceptive practices, no matter how highly placed,” he added.
The enforcement marks a renewed effort by the FCCPC to sanitise Nigeria’s retail and manufacturing markets. In recent months, the agency has intensified inspections in sectors such as food, pharmaceuticals, and household goods to curb the sale of substandard and falsely labelled products.
Kano, one of Nigeria’s oldest commercial hubs, has long served as a major centre for textile trade, supplying fabrics to other parts of the country and neighbouring West African markets. The FCCPC’s latest action is seen as a crucial step toward restoring integrity and fair competition in Kano’s textile industry, where false measurements, adulteration, and price manipulation have long affected consumer confidence and squeezed legitimate small businesses.
