Abuja, FCT – The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has sealed off the visa centres for France, Belgium, and Italy, located at Mukhtar El-Yakub House in Abuja’s Central Business District. The centre, managed by TLS Contact, a Teleperformance company, was shut down on Thursday following a series of confrontations between the company’s staff and government officials. The FCCPC, working in conjunction with the Nigerian Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), carried out the enforcement action amidst active resistance from the centre’s staff.
Boladale Adeyinka, Director of Surveillance and Investigations at the FCCPC, explained that the decisive action was taken due to the centre’s repeated failure to receive official correspondence from the commission regarding a consumer complaint investigation. The sealing was also prompted by documented obstruction of investigation or inquiry, and for conducting services that were, “upon reasonable suspicion, to be inimical to consumers’ welfare.”
The dispute began in March when the FCCPC attempted to serve the company with a consumer complaint. “On the 25th of March 2025, based on a consumer complaint, a letter was served on them to address the consumer complaint, as is the process of amicable resolution of consumer complaints at the commission,” Adeyinka stated. “The officers of TLS, rather than receive the consumer complaint, proceeded to assault our officers who were conducting the lawful duty of protecting and implementing the provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA).”
Following this initial incident, the commission directed that TLS staff be summoned to appear under Section 33 of the FCCPA. However, the situation escalated further when officials attempted to serve these summons. “Rather than receive the summons of the commission, officers of TLS again on June 17, proceeded not only to assault our officers but also assaulted uniformed officers of the police force who were providing lawful security for the operations of the commission,” Adeyinka elaborated.
She issued a stern warning that such behavior carries severe legal consequences under Nigerian law. “Section 33 stipulates that any person who, without sufficient cause, fails or refuses to appear before the commission in compliance with a summons commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or a fine not exceeding N20 million or both fine and imprisonment.”
TLS Contact has now been mandated to appear before the FCCPC on June 20 to testify, provide depositions, and submit evidence concerning their failure to receive the commission’s letter initiating the original complaint investigation. “This is an enforcement operation against TLS,” Adeyinka affirmed. “As you are aware, they provide visa support services to Nigerian consumers.”
The closure is anticipated to significantly inconvenience hundreds of visa applicants utilizing the centre for travel to France, Belgium, and Italy. Adeyinka explicitly stated that TLS Contact would be held liable for all losses and expenses incurred by visa applicants due to this enforcement action.
