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FCCPC Accuses Google of Protecting Illegal Online Loan Sharks
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has indicted Google for obstructing efforts aimed at tracing the owners of illegal online money lenders engaged in consumer rights violations in Nigeria.
Mr Babtunde Irukera, the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, FCCPC, made the allegation at a collaborative engagement with the media in Lagos.
He said that Google has been uncooperative in the commission’s efforts to enforce the withdrawal of applications (Apps) being used by the money lenders from its Play Store, even when evidence of inappropriate use of the Apps has been established.
Recall that FCCPC raided the offices of some online loan sharks operating illegally in Lagos about three weeks ago, where Irukera disclosed that the commission had secured court orders to enforce the withdrawal of the defaulting Apps from Google and Apple platforms.
The FCCPC CEO said that he considers the uncooperative attitude of Google as a potential threat to key national interests.
He expressed frustration over the inability of the commission in contacting Google while trying to pull out apps from the Google Store.
Irukera stated: “We are trying to close some Apps down from Google and there is some resistance. I got a letter yesterday from someone who is a senior legal officer, Africa & Middle East at Google, and in that letter there is absolutely no way to contact Google.
“I found that extremely reprehensible and shameful that a company the size and magnitude of Google is hardly where it can be found, that a regulator is struggling to find Google and for Google to be able to enforce the order of a regulator in a country where Google is existing and doing business is the height of reckless irresponsibility on the part of a company with a brand and name like Google.
“So, for that letter they’ve written and their own successive barriers to be engaged for enforcement, I need to hold Google responsible.
“No company, no matter what benefit they bring should have that prerogative or opportunity of being that anonymous.
“And that is the problem we are dealing with. So, we must hold the big ones who are making a tonne of money from our citizens responsible.
“If we can hold them responsible and they become liable for that kind of conduct, then we can cascade down and we can talk to Instagram that if anyone is going to sell stuff on your platform, there must be certain information that must be available.
“You cannot provide those platforms, make your money and look the other way while people who come on the platforms exploit people and people are stuck.
“There has to be a level ground for everyone. In the absence of that, even your business itself is an exploitation. If you are not the exploiter, you are at least ceding the platform to exploiters to exploit people.”
He said the commission might need to work with law enforcement agencies in the United States, to get them to come up with the information needed to get those behind the illegal digital lenders.
“We have our counterparts there and we will use our counterparts to say to Google that you are not welcome in this country if we cannot find you; that a regulator cannot engage you when your platform is used to exploit people.
“You are absolutely unwelcomed if your platform can be used to exploit the people and the regulator could not prevent that exploitation,” he said.
The African Development Bank (AfDB), has disclosed plans to work with the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), to boost the state’s transport system with the development of another rail line.
This was contained in a statement signed by, the Head, Corporate Communication, LAMATA, Mr. Kolawole Ojelabi in Lagos.
Ojelabi said that the AfDB Vice President, Private Sector Infrastructure and Industrialisation, Mr. Solomon Quaynor, gave the assurance during a visit to LAMATA.
He added that the bank was interested in partnering LAMATA to expand the capacity of the existing rail system.
“Quaynor was also in the company of the Non-Sovereign Operations and Private Sector Equity Specialist, Mr Mayowa Ayodele ahead of a visit of the technical team to assess the Purple line,” he said.
The Purple Line is a 60-kilometre railroad along the Redemption Camp in Ogun State, traversing Berger, Agege and Alimosho and terminate at Volkswagen to join the Blue Line.
“The visit follows a recent pitch for investment on 60-kilometre Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Purple Line at the African Development Bank forum in Morocco, where the Lagos delegation was led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“This is to further discuss collaboration on the project and other lines outlined in the Lagos Strategic Transport Master Plan. The delegation toured the LRMT Blue Line and expressed satisfaction with the progress of the Blue Line rail system,” he said.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has filed a lawsuit against the Nigerian government the 36 states over the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024.
SERAP is arguing that “the repressive use of the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024 by the government to criminalize legitimate expression violate the human rights of Nigerians, including activists, journalists, bloggers and social media users”.
In a statement on Sunday, Kolawole Oluwadare, deputy director, SERAP, explained that the suit was filed to stop the Tinubu administration and Nigeria’s 36 governors from using the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024 to criminalize legitimate expression and punish Nigerians, including social media users.
He said: “Rather than using the amended legislation to make cyberspace and its users safer, Nigerian authorities are routinely weaponizing it to curb Nigerians’ human rights and media freedom.
“The suit no: ECW/CCJ/APP/03/2025 was filed last week before the ECOWAS Court in Abuja.”
Recall that Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court had on March 25, 2022, declared Section 24 of Nigeria’s original Cybercrimes Act 2015 as “arbitrary, vague, and repressive.”
The court ordered Nigeria to repeal the provision, citing non-compliance with human rights obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Although the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024 repealed Section 24, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) argues that the reworded provisions still infringe upon freedom of expression and information.
SERAP’s concerns center around the ambiguity of “causing a breakdown of law and order” in Section 24(1)(b), which they believe threatens peaceful and legitimate expression and leaves room for abuse.
SERAP highlighted several instances where the law was allegedly misused to target government critics, including activist Dele Farotimi, journalist Agba Jalingo, and social media user Chioma Okoli.
The organization emphasized that the amended legislation has a chilling effect on human rights and media freedom.
SERAP stressed that the amended Act contravenes international human rights law, which requires restrictions on freedom of expression to serve a legitimate purpose and be strictly proportionate.
The organization seeks a declaration that Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024 is unlawful and an order directing the government to repeal or amend the legislation in compliance with international standards.
However, a hearing date has not been set for the suit.
Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) has applauded Mr. Monday Okpebholo, Edo State governor, for the appointment of Mr. Collins Edomaruse as his Special Adviser, International Development Partners (IDP).
Ms Maureen Chigbo, president of GOCOP and publisher of RealNews Online, described Edomaruse’s appointment as a welcomed development.
Chigbo in a press statement by Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, GOCOP Publicity Secretary, also congratulated Edomaruse for this appointment assuring of support from over 110 members of GOCOP in carrying out his duties.
Until his appointment, Edomaruse who is a founding member of GOCOP and the Secretary General of the body of reputed online publishers is also a member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), among others.
Edomaruse doubles as the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of METROWATCH, and has held several senior editorial management positions in THISDAY, including Group News Editor, Group Politics Editor, Deputy Editor, Daily, Saturday and Sunday titles respectively, as well as the Editor, Nation’s Capital/Abuja Bureau.
Also known as ‘General’ because of his mastery of the Defence Beat, his records in THISDAY have remained unbeaten, where he ranked the best among the editors.
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