Tension Rises As Court Fixes Date for Contempt Action Against Federal Competition And Consumer Protection Commission

Ambrose-Lewis Allagoa adjourned the matter on Tuesday in a suit filed by the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria against the FCCPC.

The dispute relates to the controversial Digital Electronic Online and Non-Traditional Lending Regulations, whose enforcement had earlier been suspended by the court.

During the resumed hearing, counsel to the plaintiff, Kemi Pinheiro, accused the FCCPC of acting in contempt by allegedly continuing to implement and enforce the regulations despite the existing court order restraining it from doing so.

Pinheiro argued that the court must first protect its authority and integrity before proceeding to hear other pending applications connected to the case.

He informed the court that the plaintiff had already drawn the alleged acts of disobedience to the attention of the FCCPC’s legal representatives.

According to him, instead of advising the commission to comply with the court order, FCCPC’s counsel allegedly defended the actions in a letter dated May 5, 2026.

Pinheiro stated that the commission claimed the steps taken by telecommunications companies were independent commercial decisions and not directly linked to the suspended Digital Electronic Online and Non-Traditional Lending Regulations.

In response, counsel for the FCCPC, Funke Aboyade, argued that the matter scheduled for hearing was the commission’s preliminary objection alongside the originating summons.

She maintained that the court could not proceed with the committal proceedings at that stage.

However, in his ruling, Justice Allagoa agreed with the plaintiff’s argument and held that the allegation of contempt must first be addressed.

The judge stated that the court was inclined to hear the committal proceedings before any other applications in order to preserve the authority and sanctity of the judiciary.

He stressed that court orders must be respected and protected at all times.

Justice Allagoa further stated that no party has the right to ignore a subsisting court order, regardless of any jurisdictional objections raised during proceedings.

The matter was subsequently adjourned to May 22, 2026, for the commencement of the committal proceedings against the FCCPC.