Business

Competition Tribunal Orders Coca – Cola to pay N190 million misleading Fines Within 60 Days

Upholding the FCCPC’s five-year investigation, findings, and imposed penalties, the tribunal ruled that NBC’s conduct constituted misleading practices in violation of Nigerian law.

Published

1 year ago

April 29, 2025

OCHEFA

568 Views

The tribunal criticised the FCCPC’s acceptance of the post-judgment settlement, saying it conflicted with the commission’s regulatory obligations.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal ( CCPT) has ordered the Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC), also known as Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited to pay the N190 million administrative penalty imposed on the company for misleading packaging, within 60 days .

This was contrary to the settlement reached between the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and the NBC in the case that stemmed from an August 2024 announcement by the FCCPC in which it accused Coca-Cola and NBC of engaging in unfair marketing tactics and misleading consumers.

In a judgment delivered on Monday, April 28, a three-member panel led by presiding judge Thomas Okosun dismissed NBC’s application to adopt the settlement terms as judgment, describing it as an “attempt to arrest judgment.”

NBC’s counsel, O. Ogunride, had informed the tribunal of a settlement agreement reached with the FCCPC, requesting its adoption as a consent judgment.

The FCCPC’s representative, Abimbola Ojenike, confirmed the existence of the settlement, stating that discussions had been finalised with Akoji Achimugu, the commission’s legal director.

However, the tribunal pointed out that the terms of settlement were filed after judgment had been reserved and both parties had submitted their final written arguments.

Okosun ruled that “the notion of arrest of judgment is unknown to Nigerian law,” stressing that entering a settlement at this stage exceeded the FCCPC’s statutory authority and undermined its role as a regulator.

The tribunal criticised the FCCPC’s acceptance of the post-judgment settlement, saying it conflicted with the commission’s regulatory obligations.

The tribunal emphasized its constitutional duty to the public, asserting that it could not engage in private compromises between parties.

The panel also criticized the FCCPC’s sudden shift from its earlier position, noting that the proposed settlement declared “there is no penalty,” directly contradicting the commission’s findings from its investigation.

Consequently, the tribunal rejected the settlement and proceeded to deliver its final judgment.

Upholding the FCCPC’s five-year investigation, findings, and imposed penalties, the tribunal ruled that NBC’s conduct constituted misleading practices in violation of Nigerian law.

It affirmed that the ₦190 million administrative penalty was consistent with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) and the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

NBC’s appeal was dismissed for lack of merit, and the company was ordered to pay the fine within 60 days.

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Business

Dangote Refinery Dismisses Claims of Fuel Re-Importation from Togo

Published

8 hours ago

June 24, 2026

Charles Flames

23 Views

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has strongly rejected allegations that its refined petroleum products are exported to Lomé, Togo, and later re-imported into Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the refinery described the claims as “a web of falsehoods,” “baseless,” and “unsubstantiated,” arguing they lack commercial logic and contradict its core business objectives of boosting local production and achieving energy self-sufficiency.

The refinery emphasized that its sales contracts and tender terms explicitly prohibit buyers from reselling or re-importing the products back into Nigeria. It further noted that available trade data and the high costs of round-trip shipping (estimated at US$68–90 per ton) make such a scheme economically unviable.

The allegations surfaced amid reports suggesting that a significant portion of Nigeria’s seaborne fuel imports between March and May 2026 originated from Dangote products rerouted through the offshore ship-to-ship trading hub in Lomé.

Some marketers claimed pricing differences made it cheaper to buy from foreign traders via Togo.

Dangote Refinery dismissed these assertions, insisting there is no evidence to support them and reaffirming its commitment to supplying high-quality fuels directly to the Nigerian market at competitive prices.

The development highlights ongoing tensions as the refinery continues to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on fuel imports.

Business

Afreximbank wooing Nigeria’s rising culinary stars for participation in 2026 CANEX Junior Chef Competitions

The competition invites Nigeria’s most promising junior culinary talents, aged 16 to 21, to showcase their creativity, technical skills, and cultural storytelling at the CANEX WKND 2026, set to hold from 5 to 8, November 2026, in Lagos, Nigeria.

Published

1 day ago

June 23, 2026

OCHEFA

38 Views

Photo: Winners of the CANEX Junior Chef Competition display their prizes during IATF2025 in Algeria.

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), through its Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme, has opened applications for the 2026 edition of the CANEX WKND 2026 Junior Chef Competition.

Now in its second edition, the competition builds on the landmark debut in Algiers, Algeria, during IATF2025, with Fatma Zohra Bendjelida crowned the inaugural winner.

This year, the spotlight turns to Nigeria’s next generation of culinary talents.

Eight aspiring young chefs will earn their place on the live stage at CANEX WKND in Lagos, where they will transform African culinary heritage into bold, signature creations; making dishes that honour the flavours, traditions, and stories of the continent while presenting a fresh, fearless voice in African gastronomy.

Business

Tech giant Oracle cuts 21,000 jobs as it embraces AI

The software and cloud computing firm says it had around 141,000 full-time employees as of 31 May 2026, down from about 162,000 workers at the same time last year.

Published

1 day ago

June 23, 2026

OCHEFA

40 Views

Photo: Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison/ Getty images

Oracle shed about 21,000 roles globally in the last year as the US technology giant reshapes its business around artificial intelligence (AI), the firm’s latest annual report shows.

The software and cloud computing firm says it had around 141,000 full-time employees as of 31 May 2026, down from about 162,000 workers at the same time last year.

The “deployment of AI technologies across our operations have resulted, and may continue to result, in reductions to our workforce,” the report says.

The cuts, which amount to about 13% of Oracle’s workforce, are part of a wider trend among tech firms as they spend hundreds of billions of dollars on building AI infrastructure like data centres.