The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has shut down the Abuja office of Contact Teleperformance Company (TLS), the firm handling visa services for France, Italy, and Belgium, over alleged consumer rights violations and attacks on government officers.
Director of Surveillance and Investigations, Mrs. Boladale Adeyinka, who led the operation, said the enforcement followed unresolved consumer complaints and misconduct by the company.
“On March 25, the FCCPC served TLS a letter in line with its normal complaint resolution process. Instead of addressing the complaint, their officers assaulted FCCPC operatives carrying out their lawful duty of enforcing consumer rights,” Adeyinka said.
She added that TLS officials also turned violent when the commission later attempted to serve a summons.
“The FCCPC enforcement agents were assaulted by persons acting on the company’s behalf,” she stated. “The situation took a turn for the worse when TLS officials not only refused to collect a letter of summons to appear before the Commission, but also assaulted police officers who were providing lawful security for FCCPC operations.”
Citing the law backing the closure, she said, “In line with Section 18(1)(f) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Tunji Bello directed the sealing of the premises.”
Adeyinka explained that the FCCPC had reasonable grounds to believe that some TLS services were “inimical to consumer welfare” and that operations would remain suspended pending further investigations.
She disclosed that senior TLS officials, including the country and centre managers, had been summoned to appear before the commission by 2:00 pm on Friday, June 20, 2025.
Adeyinka warned against ignoring the summons. “Section 33(3) of the FCCPC Act stipulates that failure to comply with a summons, without sufficient cause, is an offense punishable by up to three years imprisonment, a fine of up to ₦20m, or both,” she said.
“Section 33(4) goes further to state that any person who willfully obstructs or interrupts proceedings of the Commission is liable to the same penalties. TLS’s actions clearly fall under these violations.”
On the nature of the complaints received, Adeyinka revealed they involved the “non-provision of paid visa processing services,” which affected many Nigerians depending on TLS for travel documentation.
She urged affected customers to present evidence of service failure as the inquiry continues and stressed that this enforcement action “serves as a stern warning to service providers across the country that the Commission will not hesitate to act decisively in defence of consumer rights.”
