A consumer is anyone who buys goods and services for personal or family use and not for resale.

For example: If Tunde buys a loaf of bread to eat at home, he is a consumer. But if a shopkeeper buys bread to sell to others, the shopkeeper is not the final consumer.

• Individuals (a student buying a pen),


• Families (parents buying food for the home), or


• Organizations (schools buying chalk, hospitals buying medicine).

1. Goods – These are physical things we can see, touch, and use. Examples: food, clothes, books, television, shoes.


2. Services – These are not physical, but they meet our needs. Examples: transport, electricity, banking, health care, hairdressing.

1. Individual consumer – Buys goods for himself or his family. Example: a mother buying rice to cook for dinner.


2. Organizational consumer – An institution buying for use in its activities. Example: a school buying textbooks for students.


3. Final consumer – The last person that uses the product. Example: a student eating the rice cooked by his mother.


4. Industrial consumer – Buys goods to produce other goods. Example: a bakery buying flour to bake bread.

1. Right to Safety – The consumer must be protected from harmful products. Example: expired drugs should not be sold.


2. Right to Be Informed – The consumer must get correct details about products, such as price, expiry date, and usage instructions. Example: a label on a medicine bottle.


3. Right to Choose – Consumers must be free to select from different brands, qualities, and prices. Example: choosing between Peak milk and Cowbell milk.


4. Right to Be Heard – Consumers must be able to voice complaints and suggestions, and producers must listen.


5. Right to Redress – When cheated or given bad goods, consumers should be refunded, compensated, or given replacement.


6. Right to Consumer Education – Consumers should be taught how to buy wisely and avoid exploitation.


7. Right to Satisfaction of Basic Needs – Consumers have a right to affordable food, clothing, shelter, health care, and education.

• Read labels and expiry dates before buying.


• Ask questions and compare prices before making choices.


• Keep receipts, warranties, or guarantees for future claims.


• Avoid waste of resources.


• Pay honestly for goods and services.


• Report dishonest sellers and unsafe products.

1. Fake and Adulterated Goods – Many products are imitations or substandard, such as fake drugs or expired canned foods.


2. High Prices – Inflation and greed make goods too expensive.


3. Scarcity of Goods – Essential items may be missing in the market.


4. False Advertising – Some producers exaggerate the benefits of their goods in order to deceive buyers.


5. Expired Goods – Unscrupulous sellers sometimes sell expired products.


6. Lack of Redress – Sometimes when cheated, there is no easy way to get a refund.


7. Ignorance – Many consumers do not know their rights, so they suffer silently.

1. Return of goods – Faulty or damaged items can be returned to the seller.


2. Refund of money – The seller may return the money after faulty goods are returned.


3. Replacement – The seller may replace a bad item with a new one.


4. Repair – Sometimes a faulty product is repaired free of charge.


5. Legal action – The consumer may take the case to court.


6. Reporting to agencies – Report cases to consumer protection agencies like NAFDAC, SON, or CPC.

1. Identify the problem – Know exactly what is wrong with the product or service.


2. Keep evidence – Keep receipt, warranty, label, or package as proof of purchase.


3. Complain to the seller – First approach the shopkeeper or service provider politely.


4. Write a formal complaint if needed – If the problem is not solved, write a letter to the company or authority.


5. Report to agencies –


• NAFDAC – For drugs and food safety.


• SON – For product standards.


• CPC – Consumer Protection Council.


6. Seek legal help – If all else fails, the consumer can go to court.


7. Follow up – Monitor the case until the problem is solved.

• Government – Through laws, agencies (NAFDAC, SON, CPC), and regulations.


• Manufacturers – By producing safe and good quality goods, honest labeling, and fair prices.


• Consumers themselves – By being alert, educated, and refusing to buy fake or unsafe goods.

1. Helps people make wise and informed choices.


2. Protects consumers from cheating and exploitation.


3. Teaches them their rights and responsibilities.


4. Encourages healthy living by avoiding harmful products.


5. Helps families manage their resources properly and avoid waste.