‘No refund’ policies can’t override consumer rights, Lagos warns businesses

Detailed summary

The Lagos State Government has warned businesses that ‘no refund, no return’ policies cannot override consumer rights guaranteed under state and federal la Read More:…

The Lagos State Government has warned businesses operating in the state against using “No Refund, No Return and No Cancellation” policies to deny customers remedies guaranteed under consumer protection laws.

The warning was issued by the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency, in a statement shared by the state government on Facebook on Wednesday.

The agency’s General Manager and Chief Executive Officer, Afolabi Solebo, gave the warning during a mediation session at its headquarters in Ikeja involving a customer and an event centre over a disputed cancellation charge.

The customer had booked the facility and paid a 50 per cent deposit but later requested cancellation of the reservation.

The event centre’s management reportedly insisted on retaining 50 per cent of the total booking cost, citing its cancellation policy.

“Reacting to the dispute, Solebo stressed that company policies and contractual terms must comply with the Lagos State Consumer Protection Law 2025 (as amended) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018.

“He maintained that where internal policies conflict with statutory consumer protections, applicable laws take precedence.

“The Agency disclosed that it had continued to receive complaints from consumers denied refunds, replacements or other remedies by retailers and service providers on the grounds of internal company policies. It cautioned businesses against using blanket disclaimers and restrictive contractual clauses to evade their legal responsibilities,” the statement said.

However, the agency clarified that consumer protection laws do not guarantee automatic full refunds in every transaction, saying entitlement to a refund, return or cancellation depends on the circumstances and applicable legal provisions.

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