Public complaints on goods, services rise by 45% in three years — NBS

The number of reported public complaints on goods and services continuously increased in the three years between 2020 to 2022.

The complaints have risen from 61,480 in 2020 to 88,897 in 2022. This represents an increase of 44.59 percent during the three-year period.

This figure is according to the 2023 Social Statistics Report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) where the total number of public complaints on goods and services reached 229,369 in the three years under review.  According to the report, the total number of complaints on goods and services pending investigation increased from 43,361 in 2020 to 49,844 in 2022 after a decline in 2021.

It stated, “The figure below shows that there were 43,261 complaints on goods and services pending investigation in 2020, this decreased to 37,662 in 2021 and increased to 49,844 in 2022.”

Furthermore, the report noted that the total number of complaints on goods and services received by the Federal Competition and Consumer Pricing Commission (FCCPC) totalled 41,545 between 2020 and 2022.

In 2020, the FCCPC received 17,776 complaints while in 2021 it fell to 10,189 and rose to 13,580 in the following year.

According to the report, “In 2020, complaints received by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) were 17,776, with 5,444 under investigation and 12,332 resolved. In 2021, the complaints received were reduced to 10,189 with 2,045 under investigation and 8,144 resolved. In addition, complaints received in 2022 increased to 13,580, with 3,531under investigation.”

The report failed to mention the types of goods or industries where the complaints originated.

However, the source of the data was attributed to information from institutions centred on justice, such as the Public Complaints Commission.

The FCCPC noted that complaints against electricity discos topped its list of complaints in 2020 and 2021 closely followed by bank-related complaints.

The then CEO of the FCCPC, Babatunde Irukera stated that complaints from the telecoms industry followed the financial sector while the aviation sector came a close fourth in its record of complaints by industry.