E-Commerce and Enforcement of Consumer Rights in Nigeria: Issues, Prospects and Challenges

It is an indisputable fact that the internet has added to the quality of life in so many ways including commercial transactions. However, one of the issues that characterise commercial transaction is the unrepentant and continuous violation of consumer right. Consumer right is the amalgam of the right of consumer in relation to consumption of product with the ultimate aim of projecting utility that is commensurate with the value of goods and services. It also encapsulates the liability of defective products and various means of ensuring compliance by the producers. Economic market is characterised by a lot of foul plays ranging from fake meteorology system, defective and substandard products, and epileptic service delivery both in the private and public sectors. This is done mostly with the view to maximising profit at the expense of the consumers who are supposed to be king in the chain of production. The objective of this paper is to examine the various issues, prospects and challenges facing e- commerce. Such issues include but not limited to data protection of e- consumers, formation of e- contract, multiple jurisdictions and unilateral model legal framework. The paper concludes that strict liability approach should be adopted in dealing with erring producer and service providers to a large extent. A legislative review of obsolete laws and enactment of new ones, most especially in the area of e-commerce transaction, is recommended. Thus, improved standard of living, welfare and educating the general populace in the area of consumerism will naturally check the rate of consumer rights violations. The time is now for Governments at all levels to work towards the eradication of poverty.

Keywords: Consumer Rights, E- commerce, E- consumer, E- contract, Data Protection.