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

12 months ago

April 29, 2025

OCHEFA

469 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

John Ternus is Apple’s incoming CEO

John Ternus, Apple’s longtime hardware boss, is taking over as CEO, becoming just the second leader since Steve Jobs departed in 2011, less than two months before he died from cancer.

Published

14 hours ago

April 21, 2026

OCHEFA

20 Views

• John Ternus / CNBC / Getty Images

Tim Cook’s 15-year tenure as Apple CEO comes to an end on Sept. 1, the company announced on Monday.

John Ternus, Apple’s longtime hardware boss, is taking over as CEO, becoming just the second leader since Steve Jobs departed in 2011, less than two months before he died from cancer.

CNBC reports that as Cook exits, Apple faces numerous challenges, including an intricate supply chain that’s complicated by geopolitical tensions and soaring prices for memory due to unprecedented demand from the AI buildout.

But for Ternus, perhaps the most critical aspect of his new job will be pushing the company deeper into AI, where it’s lagged many of its megacap peers.

It said that so far, Apple’s AI strategy has involved avoiding hefty capital expenditures while Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Meta commit to hundreds of billions of dollars a year in combined capex to fund new data centers and fill them with pricey AI chips.

Business

NCC, CBN launch telecom industry portal to track fraudulent phone lines

“This means banks and other financial institutions can determine whether a line is active, swapped, disconnected, or reassigned to another subscriber.”

Published

15 hours ago

April 21, 2026

OCHEFA

24 Views

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN), have launched a portal that enables financial institutions to track fraudulent and suspicious phone lines across the country.

It is called the Telecoms Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) portal , aimed at providing financial institutions with real-time visibility into the status of phone numbers used for transactions.

“The portal aggregates data on churned or recycled lines and numbers flagged for suspicious activities.

“This means banks and other financial institutions can determine whether a line is active, swapped, disconnected, or reassigned to another subscriber,” said the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida.

Speaking during the MoU signing event, Maida said that the agreement provides a structured framework for cooperation in critical areas, including payment system integrity, fraud mitigation, digital inclusion, and consumer protection.

On his part, Governor of CBN, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, said the MoU would strengthen coordination on regulatory approvals, technical standards, and innovation initiatives, including sandbox testing.

He noted that the partnership aligns with the apex bank’s commitment to promoting a secure, resilient, and inclusive financial system.

Business

FG allocates Flour Mills’ Golden Sugar 300,000MT annual production target

Golden Sugar Company, a subsidiary of Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC, currently cultivates about 6,600 hectares, producing about 20,000 metric tonnes of sugar yearly, according to the Group Chief Executive Officer of GSC, Boye Olusanya.

Published

1 day ago

April 20, 2026

OCHEFA

20 Views

Photo: Director of Strategy and Stakeholder Relations at Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, Sadiq Usman (left); Head, Strategy and Performance Management at the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Ms. Edirin Akemu; Group Chief Executive Officer of Golden Sugar Company (GSC), Boye Olusanya; Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Owan Enoh; Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, NSDC, Kamar Bakrin and GSC General Manager, Anlo Du Pisani; during the Minister’s visit to the GSC Complex in Sunti, Niger state.

The Minister of State for Industry, John Owan Enoh, has urged the Golden Sugar Company (GSC) to expand its yearly production capacity to 300,000 metric tonnes by 2030.

The Ninister, accompanied by the Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Kamar Bakrin, gave the charge when he visited the GSC Complex in Sunti, Niger state.

The Minister noted that the current local sugar production in the country is a long distance away from the 1.8 million metric tonnes that the country consumes yearly, adding that, the GSC must contribute 300,000 metric tonnes in the year 2030.

He commended the management of the company for the employment of about 4,500 workers, emphasising that the government’s requirement for gainful employment is itself achieved here.