The Acting Executive Vice Chairman of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Adamu Abdullahi, has said that all the products sold at the Chinese supermarket in Abuja sealed for alleged discrimination against Nigerians, are labelled in Chinese.
Abdullahi, who made the revelation during an interview on Channels Television also said that the FCCPC discovered that the only currency accepted at the supermarket is Chinese Yuan and that the commission also confirmed that Nigerians were not allowed to buy from the supermarket.
Nigerians had expressed outrage over a alleged discriminatory policy implemented by the Chinese supermarket which restricted entry exclusively to its citizens and barred Nigerians.
The facility manager of the complex, Shaibu Sanusi, had confirmed that Nigerians from outside the complex did not shop but Nigerians within could access it.
Abdullahi had said that the owner and management of the supermarket had been summoned to the FCCPC office to defend the allegations against them.
Speaking on Channels Television, the FCCPC boss said that the woman managing the supermarket reported at the FCCPC office on Wednesday and the commission’s officials went to the supermarket with her and officials of the Chinese Embassy and the China Chambers of Commerce to inspect the facility.
Abdullahi said, “The discovery was just enormous. All the products are labelled in (Chinese language) and the only currency accepted there is Yuan.”
He said, “That is against the law in Nigeria. You don’t sell products not in naira. Everything sold in Nigeria should be in Nigerian currency.
“The issue of discrimination that they only allow Chinese into the supermarket has been confirmed. We have instructed that she must put up a notice in front of that shop that says that everybody can go into the supermarket and shop.
“On the issue of Yuan and display of prices, we are discussing with her to put things right. At the same time, we are also discussing sanctions. Of course, a wrong has been done and bad behaviour leads to consequences.
“We will look at our law and find out what those consequences are and apply them to the fullest of the law.”
Abdullahi reiterated that the consequences might include a fine of N10 million for each owner of the supermarket “and 10% of the company’s last year’s turnover”.
He added that because the supermarket is located at the Chinese Chambers of Commerce and in an area mostly occupied by Chinese nationals, the supermarket owners argued that the supermarket was solely established for Chinese nationals in the housing estate.
“But we found out something different because they prevent people from other estates as long as you are not a Chinese citizen from buying from the supermarket,” he said.