FEDERAL COMPETITION AND CONSUMER PROTECTION COMMISSION’S ACTIVITIES AND CONSUMER SATISFACTION WITH PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) is a regulatory agency that protects Nigerians against unfair trade practices, spiralling prices, product adulteration, poor quality products and deceptive packaging. Despite its establishment, reports have shown that there is high concentration of fake drugs and widespread consumer complaints in Lagos State, Nigeria, which has made consumers vulnerable to exploitation and health hazards. Previous studies have focused on legal protection of consumer in some sub-sectors, consumer attitude to made-in Nigeria products, second-hand goods and Nigerian consumers, service marketing, consumerism in Nigeria and consumer rights; without examining the FCCPC activities as determinants of consumer satisfaction (CS) with pharmaceutical products. This study, therefore, was designed to examine the FCCPC activities: Elimination of Hazardous Products-EHP, Response to Consumer Complaints-RCC, Adequate Information-AI, Consumer Rights Abuses Redress-CRAR and Standard of Products and Services Enforcement-SPSE) as determinants of CS in Lagos State during the period 2012 to 2018. Three-Factor and Expectancy Disconfirmation Paradigm theories provided the anchor, while the mixed methods design was adopted. Three Local Government Areas (LGAs) (Ikeja, Kosofe and Ikorodu) with evidence of prevalence of counterfeit drugs were purposively selected from the existing three senatorial districts: Lagos West, Lagos Central and Lagos East, respectively. Six communities (two per LGA) were randomly selected. Twelve pharmaceutical stores (two per community) were randomly selected. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 1202 consenting customers who patronised the 12 stores. The instruments used were FCCPC activities scales: EHP (α=0.76), RCC (α=0.77), AI (α=0.78), CRAR (α=0.81) and SPS (α=080); and CS Questionnaire (r=0.89). Three sessions of key informant and 11 in-depth interviews were conducted with FCCPC staff and consumers, respectively. Quantitative data were analysed using Pearson’s product moment correlation and multiple regression at 0.05 level of significance, while qualitative data were content-analysed. Consumers were mostly married (58.1%) and aged 41.2±4.5 years, while majority (63.4%) had first degrees and 59.4% were Christians. Twenty-one percent of complaints received by the commission between 2012 and 2018 were attended to. EHP (r=0.17), RCC (r=0.21), AI (r=0.22), CRAR (r=0.23) and SPS (r=0.17) correlated significantly with CS. The FCCPC activities had significant joint contribution to CS (F(5;1196)=18.28; Adj. R2=.067), accounting for 6.7% of its variance. The CRAR (β=0.13) and AI (β=0.11) had significant relative contributions to CS, while EHP, RCC and SPSE did not. The FCCPC modes of operation were not satisfactory owing to paucity of funds, lack of necessary materials, and insufficiency and non-accessibility of FCCPC staff. Consumer satisfaction with pharmaceutical products was influenced by consumer rights abuses redress and adequate information activities of Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission in Lagos State, Nigeria. The Commission should take cognisance of these factors in sustaining consumer satisfaction. To achieve this, there is need for regular recruitment and staff training.