Consumer Protection in Nigeria: The Era of “SERVICOM”

by Felicia Monye

The level of consumer awareness in Nigeria is relatively low. The result is that consumers are saddled with poor services and often subjected to unwarranted hardship over basic services. The problem is more glaring with government agencies. Indeed, Nigeria’s president has acknowledged that Nigerians have for too long felt short-changed by the quality of public services, which often are not delivered without “undue influence” or “inducements."  He has noted that public offices in Nigeria have long been riddled with inefficiency and corruption and have become impediments to the effective implementation of government policies. In a bid to reverse this trend, the Nigerian government in 2004 introduced the “SERVICOM,” described as a “service compact with all Nigerians.”

According to the government’s website:

SERVICOM is a social contract between the Federal Government and the people of Nigeria. SERVICOM gives you the right to demand good service. Details of your rights are contained in SERVICOM charters which are now available to the public in all government agencies wherever services are provided . . . The charters tell the public what to expect, how to expect it, and [provide] clear process of grievance redress in case of service failure.

SERVICOM is based on quality services designed around consumers’ requirements. The scheme applies to all government establishments including ministries, agencies, parastatals (large state-owned entities) and other government departments.

Under the scheme, each government entity is required to prepare and publish a SERVICOM Charter, which must include basic components such as a description of service, mission, and vision statements; details about customers; service delivery that customers may expect; and a grievance redress mechanism. In addition, the Charter must contain a statement of what the service requires from staff, management, and customers, or even the government, in order to guarantee the delivery of the services. This has been described as “the other half of the contract” (SERVICOM Document at 16).

The SERVICOM Office monitors the implementation of SERVICOM Charters by service providers. To this end, the Office conducts a periodic evaluation of service providers and publishes results of its findings on its website. The Office also facilitates the resolution of consumer complaints by service providers.

SERVICOM Charters are now a common sight at Government establishments in Nigeria.

The question now becomes: To what extent can a consumer rely on a SERVICOM Charter to enforce his or her right in the event of shoddy services?   Put differently, does a SERVICOM Charter create an enforceable contract between the service provider and the consumer?

Comments

[udemezue Ndidi]

is SERVICOM a law passed by the house in Nigeria?

[ADEDEJI EMMANUEL ADEWALE]

PLease i purchased a bottle of fanta that is contaminated.what do i do

[ADEDEJI EMMANUEL ADEWALE]

PLease i purchased a bottle of fanta that is contaminated.what do i do

[festus adetoun]

I signed up for a wireless internet service a month ago for the night plan but I have not enjoyed one full hour of undistrupted service and the month is almost over. I have called the technical support center on many occassions without redress. Instead of rectifying the fault, I am being pressured into buying a 24hr plan so as to have a senior tech.support staff on hand during their normal work hours check out d problem. Naturally , I am fed up with the service but have had to invest in a modem which is usable ONLY wth their company. I feel ripped off. Is there anyone that can bail me out pleeeeas?

[Adeleke Biliaminu Adediran-Adegoke]

Sir / Madam,

I bought a NeXus deep freezer at Globus Supermarket & Electronic centre (69, Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos. Telephone: 01-8172418), on 9th of October, 2007. The centre transported the freezer to my flat on the same day. After putting it on for three days the freezer did not freeze water and I complained to the seller. The personnel in charge came to check the freezer in my flat on 15th of October.

On 17th of October, the personnel came back to carry the freezer to the centre. On 19th of October, I went to the centre and I was told to carry the freezer that a fan installed makes the freezer to be working perfectly. I appeal to the manager to let me add money so that I can buy a better brand of freezer from the centre but the manager insisted that I must carry the NeXus freezer. NeXus is made in Hong Kong for U.S.A. (as in the manual) and made in China is written on the cartoon. No specification is made in the manual regarding to the components.

Now that the manager refuse to let me buy another brand or refund my money can you refer me to appropriate organization for my protection.

Thanks for your assistance.

Adediran-Adegoke, Biliaminu Adeleke
32 Alli Dada street, off Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos.

VISIT my website: www.greatthinkeradeleke.com
Index page contains Ads by Google, Referral Ads by Google
And Google search.

[Alejolowo Amidu]

Dear sir/ma,
My name is Alejolowo Amidu, I bougth a bottle of fanta from a retailer,i was about to open the fanta,and i noticed some black debris inside the bottle of the coke.Sir/Ma kindly put me through on what to do,cos coke cola company needs to be sued for their inefficient and attempt to kill....Thanks

[Alejolowo Amidu]

pls i bougth a bottle of fanta that is full of black debris.What do i do?

[Emmanuel Chukwu]

This site is a welcome development in consumer protection law

[Emmanuel Chukwu]

I'm a final year law student of the faculty of Law,University of Nigeria.I would want to commend the effort of Dr Mrs F N Monye in the development of consumer law in Nigeria.Madam, you have really inspire me and awaken my interest in consumer protection laws in Nigeria.Surely the Nigerian consumer deserves more than he is getting.

[Orukpe Israel]

Please i,m a research student who is seeking for information on the evaluation of service delivery in the following public sectors Power, health, education, trasportation e.t.c. I would be very grateful if you can help me with these information to aid my research.

[Ayabowei martins]

Goodday sir,
I actually subscribe to starcomms EVDO services in Ibadan due inavailability of the starcomms one data card in June 2008, i was informed was unavailable at the time of purchase and that the said starcomms one card and services is obsolete,The EVDO is a 3G connection, much faster and efficient package as i was informed and therefore more expensive, but for me to discover that the services in Ibadan has not been upgrade to 3G,therefore its a very poor delivery when compared to other towns and cities with 3G connection and we in Ibadan pay the same!!
I did check there website but surprising there was not feedback page on there site, i actually conplained at their helpdesk but the fellow there was boasting of how efficient they are in Lagos,Abuja and Portharcourt!! So why sell EVDO cards in Ibadan but give us starcomms one connection? What do i do cause i'm not getting value for what i'm paying for!!

[TOBA TIAMIYU]

I HAVE BEED USING DSTV FOR A LONG TIME NOW. SOMETIMES 2 WEEKS AGO I COULD NOT GET GOOD SIGNAL AND I CALLED CUSTOMER CARE. I WAS TOLD THAT MY DECODER CAN NOT WORK BECAUSE ITS AN OLD MODEL. THE MODEL NOW IS DSD 977. I WAS TOLD TO GO FOR A DECODER SWAP. I HAVE BEEN TO THE IKEJA OFFICE AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAVE RUN OUT OF DECODER FOR SWAPPING. I HAVE ALSO PIAD FOR NEW MONTHS SUBSCRIPTION. I CALLED THE CUSTOMER CARE TO TELL THEM THAT I CAN NOT GET THE DECODER FOR SWAPPING. I WAS TOLD TO GO AND BUY A NEW DECODER FOR THE SUM OF N19,000. PLEASE IS IT MY FAULT FOR BEING A LOYAL CONSUMER FOR SO LONG. IF THEY HAVE RUN OUT OF DECODERS FOR SWAPPING IS IT NOT RIGHT FOR THEM TO GET NEW STOCK.THIS IS BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GIVEN NEW DECODERS FOR SWAPPING. I KNOW THINGS LIKE THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN IN THIER HOME COUNTRY IN SOUTH AFRICA. BECAUSE THIS IS NIGERIA WHERE PEOPLE FROM EVEN THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES TREAT US LIKE DIRT AND OUR GOVEMENT WILL NEVER TAKE ACTIONS. IF THIS IS A PRICE FOR LOYALTY OVER THE YEARS FOR USING A PRODUCT I THINK THIS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH

[Becky]

Please kindly send your Agencies Address to me.
Thanks

[owoseye A.O]

please ow do we know the answers or responses you gave to all the asked question?

[Dedoyin]

Hey, I also bought a bottle of Fanta and was about to open when i noticed dirt inside it...I ignored and then went for another and i found the same thing inside the other...I was so mad...No i am taking it up against the company...I think it is just wrong... I came here and i found that 2 other people had experienced the same thing...This obviously means the company lacks standards plus they are negligent. I won't mind some tips on how to get them to pay dearly for this... I plan on using the media(this age of social networking) to show the whole world what i saw and do as much damage to the brand as possible...It's unacceptable..

[MRS OMONIGHO OGBE]

I BOUGHT 2 REFILL PACKS OF MILCOW, OPENED A PACK AND OBSERVED THAT IT WAS BAD. I LEFT IT IN THE CONTAINER I HAD POURED IT IN AND ABANDONED IT. UNKNOWN TO ME, MY YOUNGER SISTER DRAKE IT AND STOOLED FOR DAYS. IT WAS WHEN I ENQUIRED AS TO WHAT SHE HAD TAKEN THAT SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE DRANK THE MILCOW I HAD ABANDONEDIN THE CONTAINER. I WENT TO THE SHOP I BOUGHT THEM FROM AND THE LADY TOLD ME THAT SHE OBSERVED THE SAME THING FROM THE PACK SHE TOOK HOME FOR HER FAMILY.

[MRS OMONIGHO OGBE]

I ALSO BOUGHT 7 PACKS OF EMTRIM FROM A CHEMIST WHERE I USUALLY BUY DRUGS CLOSE TO MY OFFICE AND OBSERVED THAT THEY WERE FAKE. UNLIKE THE ORIGINAL DRUGS, THIS ONE BREAKS EASILY AND LOOKED LIKE CHALK. I TOOK THEM BACK TO THE CHEMIST AND THEY PLEADED WITH ME THAT THE FACT MAY HAVE BEEN FROM THEIR SUPPLIER. THEY COMPENSATED BY REPLACING THEM WITH ORIGINALS BUT I FELT BAD BECAUSE I KNOW THAT INNOCENT PERSONS MAY SUFFER IF I DONT REPORT THIS INCIDENT

[Sunday Ogunrinde]

No.4, Gana Street, Off Bobo Close, Maitama, Abuja.
4th April, 2009.

PURCHASE OF AC SPLIT UNIT AT THE LG OFFICE LOCATED
AT NO. 34, AMINU KANO CRESCENT, WUSE II, ABUJA, WHICH EVENTUALLY GOT BURNT

Sir,
I reverently write to bring to your notice, the illicit act which was perpetrated by the above-mentioned LG Office located at 34, Aminu Kano Crescent Wuse II, Abuja. The Office supplied me a substandard 1.5 HP Split AC Unit which eventually almost claimed my life when it caught fire after the installation by the same Office. The ipso facto of the situation is as follows:
2. On the 11th March, 2009 at about 0912 hours, a Split Unit 1.5 HP was purchased from the above-mentioned Office for a sum of seventy-five thousand Naira (N75,000:00) only. On 13th March, 2009 at about 1028 hours, a sum of seven thousand, five hundred Naira (N7,500:00) only was further paid as an installation fee, after much persuasion, on 16th of March, 2009, one Segun SUNDAY, a technician from the Office was directed, to install the A/C at my residence, located behind the Glo Communication Office, Wuse II, Abuja. During the installation, SUNDAY, the technician observed that all the accessories that were packed along with the AC Unit were not compatible; and asked me to go back to the LG Office to collect the well-suited ones; he pleaded that I should not let them know that he was the one who revealed the anomaly. Having collected the items, he requested me buying a socket plug and a 2 yard of wire to enable him add to the one attached to the A/C. The items were bought for him as well.
3. To my chagrin, on 30th March, 2009, the Split AC Unit caught fire from within which also affected the socket and as a result, got the window blind burnt. The incident was reported to the LG Office immediately but since then, the LG Office has been proving stubborn and lackadaisical towards the issue at stake.
4. Sir, in view of this dastardly and immoral act couple with cunning ways of swindling people through supply of substandard goods to customers, I will be grateful, if you could interven to assist me warn the LG Office to either refund the sum of eighty-two thousand, five hundred Naira (N82,500:00) or replace the burnt Unit with well-matched accessories.
5. Copies of the receipts issued in this regard, are available for authentication.
6. Thanks for your anticipated co-operation,


Sunday OGUNRINDE

[WETBEN TOBI]

PLEASE MAY I KNOW WHERE YOUR OFFICES ARE IN NIGERI. THANKS. WETBEN TOBI

[Akhideno Uyi E]

please how can i be a member of your organization,am really looking forward joining you.Thanks