Brands/Products
Court to Decide MultiChoice, FCCPC Price Hike Suit May 8
By Adedapo Adesanya
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed May 8 for judgment in the suit filed by MultiChoice Nigeria Limited against the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
Justice Omotosho fixed the date after lawyers representing the parties adopted and argued their written addresses for and against the case.
The court had earlier restrained the commission from taking “any administrative steps” against the plaintiff following an increase in the service price of two of its brands; DStv and GOtv.
The restraining order was a sequel to a formal request by MultiChoice seeking the court’s protection from planned sanction from the FCCPC, over the increase in the price of DStv and GOtv.
At the proceeding, the court granted the commission’s request for an extension of time to regularise its processes and also allowed the plaintiff to withdraw its application for interlocutory injunction which has been overtaken by event.
Arguing its case, MultiChoice through its lead counsel, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo submitted that the bone of contention is “whether the defendant have the right to control the price at which the plaintiff offers its services to the public.”
He argued that the Act establishing the FCCPC did not confer on it the powers to regulate price or prevent anyone including the plaintiff from increasing its prices.
Also, the lawyer stated that the issue of whether the defendant can regulate price has been litigated before between the two parties, adding that the tribunal had held that the commission has no powers to regulate prices of goods and services in the country, except the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Plaintiff’s lawyer also submitted that even the president who is clothed with the powers to regulate prices has maintained “that his government does not believe in price control” but, that prices are determined by market forces of demands and supplies.
The plaintiff in addition submitted that if the FCCPC has no powers to control price “where does he have the powers to prevent the plaintiff from increasing price.
MultiChoice subsequently accused the Commission of discrimination, stating that all businesses in the country have been increasing their prices in line with economic conditions and inflation without the Commission raising an eyebrow, save with the plaintiff.
He, therefore, urged the court to grant all the reliefs sought in the suit.
While adopting his counter affidavit in opposition to the suit, lead counsel for the defendant, Mr Joe Agbugu, urged the court to first address the cause of action; which is the the issue of increase in the price of DStv and GOtv.
Mr Agbugu disclosed that the Commission on February 25, wrote the plaintiff after it announced price increase effective from March 1, 2025.
According to the senior lawyer, MultiChoice was summoned to appear before the commission on February 27, “they wrote that it was not convenient and proposed March 6. We then said that in the interim they should hold on with the price increment.”
Mr Agbugu further stated that, “there was no issue of price regulation or fixing as at the time the action commenced.”
Besides, he claimed that the statute establishing the FCCPC, gave it “powers to check exorbitant pricing” and also powers to “regulate abuse of dominant position in the market” as it relates to prices and passing of cost to the consumer.
“The plaintiff occupies a dominant position in the television and entertainment,” Mr Agbugu claimed, adding that the case before the court is not of price regulation but the powers of the Commission to investigate prices that are deemed exploitative and abuse of dominant position.
“The Commission is not to tell you to use price A or B but to determine that the price is exploitative” he said, “they ran away to be investigated over their planned action.
“Our action is not about price fixing; the issue is about whether the price is exorbitant…the mandate of the Commission is to protect the consumer.”
Reacting to the claim of discrimination, defendant’s lawyer, submitted that, “abuse of dominant position qualified them to be singled out for exorbitant pricing.”
Mr Agbugu subsequently urged the court to strike out the suit and dismiss it because it attacks the major task of the Commission of protecting consumers.
“The suit should be dismissed and the plaintiff returned to us for investigation,” he added.
Responding, Justice Omotosho announced that, “judgment is reserved to May 8.”
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Don’t just guess, know your audience. Use Gemini to generate reports on competitors in your specific city or industry. Gemini’s Deep Research feature compresses hours of work into minutes. (Think of it like a personal research assistant.) Ask it to generate a report on your competitors or markets you can target. It can browse hundreds of sources, track down facts and synthesise emerging trends, giving you professional analysis in a snap.
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Managing a side gig while studying or working full-time is a struggle. Use Gemini Spark to act as your personal AI agent that runs 24/7. You can set instructions like: “Whenever I get a WhatsApp or email inquiry about my services, extract the client’s details and store them in my tracker.” It handles the heavy lifting so you can focus on making sales.
Gemini Spark acts as your personal AI agent that runs in the background 24/7 — even when your laptop and phone are turned off. Instead of logging data manually, you can connect your tools and apps and let Spark handle the heavy lifting. For example, you can set an ongoing instruction, like: “Whenever I get an email asking about my services, automatically extract the client’s details, store them in my ‘Client Tracker’ Google Sheet, and create a new dedicated folder for them in Google Drive.”
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By Adedapo Adesanya
GoLemon, a Lagos-based grocery delivery startup known for offering bulk household shopping at prices below those of traditional supermarkets, has announced it is shutting down after failing to secure additional funding.
The company has stopped accepting new orders and will permanently close its customer support channels on August 2, bringing an end to a business that sought to make grocery shopping more affordable and convenient for Lagos residents.
In a farewell blog post titled Thank You, Lagos, the startup expressed gratitude to its customers, employees, investors and partners for supporting its journey.
“We set out to help Lagosians save money on groceries without sacrificing convenience, and every order, referral and message of encouragement made that mission worthwhile,” the company said in the statement.
GoLemon, which was founded in 2024, said it would honour outstanding customer obligations, including refunds where applicable, as it winds down operations.
The company added that the decision was not made lightly but followed months of efforts to secure fresh capital to sustain and grow the business.
Founded to tackle the high cost of grocery shopping in Nigeria, GoLemon differentiated itself by sourcing products in bulk and passing cost savings on to consumers while offering home delivery across Lagos.
The startup gained traction among households seeking an alternative to traditional supermarkets amid rising food inflation.
Despite attracting a loyal customer base, GoLemon said the increasingly difficult fundraising environment made it impossible to continue operating.
The closure underscores the growing challenges facing African startups as venture capital funding remains subdued and investors become more selective.
Several technology companies across the continent have been forced to scale back operations, merge with rivals or shut down entirely as they struggle to achieve profitability and raise follow-on funding. Recently, FoodCourt temporarily stopped operations as it couldn’t fulfil its debt obligations.
Before announcing its shutdown, GoLemon had continued expanding its services, including introducing next-day grocery delivery and promotional discounts aimed at growing its customer base. However, those efforts proved insufficient to overcome the funding constraints that ultimately led to the company’s closure.
Brands/Products
Rafa Corporation Accelerates Growth with Investment in Nigeria’s Largest Continuous Soap Manufacturing Facility Lagos
Rafa Corporation, manufacturer of the rapidly growing Rafa Detergent brand, has announced a landmark investment in world-class soap manufacturing technology, marking a major milestone in its ambition to build one of Africa’s leading home and personal care manufacturing enterprises. The investment significantly expands Rafa’s production capabilities while reinforcing its commitment to innovation, industrial excellence and long-term value creation across Nigeria and West Africa.
The company has signed contracts for the construction and installation of a state-of-the-art Continuous Saponification Plant integrated with a Continuous Vacuum Soap Cooling and Drying Plant, with a 10-tonnes-per-hour production capacity. Once commissioned, the expanded production capacity is expected to position Rafa as the largest single-line continuous saponification plant in Nigeria, Nigeria’s largest powder detergent manufacturer by installed production capacity, and reinforce its long-term commitment to industrial excellence.
Designed with flexibility and efficiency at its core, the integrated production system will produce a wide range of multipurpose soap bars and premium-quality soap noodles. This versatility will enable Rafa Corporation to respond swiftly to evolving consumer preferences and expanding market opportunities across the home and personal care sectors.
In a further demonstration of its growth strategy, the company has also signed contracts for the construction and installation of two state-of-the-art Toilet Soap Finishing Lines, each with a 4-tonnes-per-hour production capacity. Equipped with advanced soap noodle conveying systems and modern automation technologies, the new finishing lines will deliver greater production efficiency, superior product consistency, and enhanced manufacturing reliability, while supporting the company’s expanding portfolio of personal care products.
Together, these investments represent one of the most significant expansions of soap manufacturing capacity currently underway in Nigeria, underscoring Rafa Corporation’s determination to build one of Africa’s most modern consumer goods manufacturing platforms. They also reflect the company’s long-term confidence in Nigeria’s manufacturing sector and its belief that world-class consumer goods can be designed, manufactured and exported from Africa.
Speaking on the development, the General Manager of Starium Detergents FZE, Mr Muhammed Midan Rabiu, described the investment as another defining milestone in the company’s growth journey. He stated that the company remains committed to supporting local value creation, strengthening industrial capacity and contributing to the development of globally competitive African manufacturing.
“This investment represents another defining milestone in Rafa Corporation’s journey to build one of Africa’s leading home and personal care manufacturing enterprises. We are investing in world-class technology, advanced manufacturing capabilities, and the people who will shape our future because we believe Africa deserves consumer products manufactured to the very highest global standards.
These projects significantly strengthen our capacity to innovate, expand our product portfolio and respond to the evolving needs of consumers across Nigeria and West Africa. Beyond increasing production capacity, we are building an integrated manufacturing platform that will drive industrial development, create sustainable employment and contribute meaningfully to the growth of Africa’s consumer goods industry.
At Rafa Corporation, our vision is clear: to build trusted brands, world-class manufacturing capabilities, and a proudly African company that competes with the very best in the world,” he said.
Rafa Detergents has rapidly emerged as one of Nigeria’s leading detergent manufacturers. The company currently operates an 80,000-tonne-per-annum powder detergent manufacturing facility in Alaro City, Epe, Lagos. It is on course to commission a second production line before the end of the year, increasing installed production capacity to approximately 200,000 tonnes per annum.
These additions are an important milestone in Rafa Corporation’s long-term strategy of building one of Africa’s leading home and personal care manufacturing enterprises. By expanding beyond detergents into large-scale soap production, the company is creating an integrated manufacturing platform capable of serving rapidly growing consumer markets across Nigeria and West Africa.
Driven by continuous investment in technology, innovation and world-class manufacturing, Rafa Corporation remains committed to delivering trusted, high-quality products while creating employment opportunities, strengthening local industrial capacity and contributing meaningfully to Africa’s consumer goods manufacturing landscape.
