The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission on Thursday sealed off Paradise Estate in the Life Camp Extension area of Abuja over allegations that the developer failed to deliver housing units to subscribers despite receiving full payments running into years.
The enforcement action followed what the Commission described as repeated non-compliance with regulatory directives after a flood of complaints from aggrieved homebuyers.
The Commission said the developer’s continued failure to respond to regulatory directives triggered its intervention.
Speaking during the operation, the FCCPC’s Deputy Director of Surveillance and Investigation, Marvin Nadah, said the Commission was compelled to act after exhausting administrative processes without success.
He said, “The Commission has been inundated with complaints, particularly in the real estate sector, and some of those complaints were specific to Estates Limited.
“These complaints went through our redress process, after which the Commission decided. Based on that, we issued a compliance notice directing the company to hand over properties that consumers had fully paid for but had not received for over three years.”
Nadah disclosed that the developer was formally served the notice on February 24, 2026, and given seven days to comply, but failed to do so.
“Failure to comply with that notice, in line with Section 150 of the FCCPA 2018, is why we are here today to carry out an enforcement exercise, which includes sealing the premises,” he said.
He stressed that the Commission’s action was lawful and necessary to protect consumers from exploitation.
“These are not isolated cases. These are multiple consumers who have paid fully and have not received value for their money for over three years. The government cannot sit by and watch when consumers are exploited or misled in any form,” Nadah added.
On claims by the developer that the matter had been appealed, the FCCPC official said the Commission had not received any notice to that effect.
“We are not aware of any appeal, and as far as we are concerned, the action we are taking is lawful and within the provisions of the Act,” he stated.
He further warned that the crackdown was not limited to one company, revealing that several investigations were ongoing in the real estate sector.
“There are numerous complaints before the Commission. Work is ongoing, and we are looking at the sector generally, not just this particular case,” he said.
Nadah also advised prospective homebuyers to exercise caution when dealing with developers.
“Consumers should come forward with complaints whenever their rights are violated. At the same time, they must be vigilant, verify claims made by developers, and ensure they are fully informed before entering into transactions,” he said.
However, the management of Paradise Estate faulted the Commission’s action, insisting that the dispute was contractual and already before the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal.
Speaking on behalf of the company, Mr Aloysius Ezengwa said the issue stemmed from a disagreement with one subscriber over the terms of a sale agreement.
He said, “The transaction in question is covered by a contract of sale duly executed by the parties. We responded to the Commission’s summons and highlighted all relevant provisions of that contract.
“Subsequently, they issued what they called an order to show cause, directing us to comply with certain directives which, in our view, are at variance with the contract freely entered into by the parties.”
Ezengwa added that the company had filed an appeal against the Commission’s decision.
“We made it clear that we were dissatisfied with the decision and have lodged an appeal at the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal in line with the law.
“We were scheduled to appear, but proceedings could not go on because some members of the tribunal were unavailable. So the matter is still pending,” he said.
He maintained that the company would determine its next line of action after reviewing the situation.
The sealing of the estate highlights growing regulatory scrutiny of Nigeria’s real estate sector, where delays, disputed allocations, and outright non-delivery of properties have triggered widespread complaints from subscribers.
The FCCPC, established under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, is mandated to protect consumers against unfair business practices, including misrepresentation, non-delivery of goods and services, and exploitative contracts.
In recent years, the Commission has intensified enforcement across sectors, particularly real estate, where weak regulation and high demand have exposed buyers to risks.
The increasing number of disputes reflects deeper structural issues, including inadequate oversight, poor contract enforcement, and rising housing demand in major cities like Abuja and Lagos.
Decisive enforcement actions, such as the sealing of defaulting developers, could help restore confidence in the sector and deter sharp practices, especially as more Nigerians turn to off-plan property purchases amid rising housing costs.
The enforcement actions by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission can be best understood as part of a broader, more aggressive push to assert its legal authority under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, which established the agency as Nigeria’s primary consumer watchdog.
Damilola Aina, Abuja
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission on Thursday sealed off Paradise Estate in the Life Camp Extension area of Abuja over allegations that the developer failed to deliver housing units to subscribers despite receiving full payments.
The enforcement action followed what the Commission described as repeated non-compliance with regulatory directives after a flood of complaints from aggrieved homebuyers.
The Commission said the developer’s continued failure to respond to regulatory directives triggered its intervention.
Speaking during the operation, the FCCPC’s Deputy Director of Surveillance and Investigation, Marvin Nadah, said the Commission was compelled to act after exhausting administrative processes without success.
He said, “The Commission has been inundated with complaints, particularly in the real estate sector, and some of those complaints were specific to Estates Limited.
“These complaints went through our redress process, after which the Commission decided. Based on that, we issued a compliance notice directing the company to hand over properties that consumers had fully paid for but had not received for over three years.”
Nadah disclosed that the developer was formally served the notice on February 24, 2026, and given seven days to comply, but failed to do so.
“Failure to comply with that notice, in line with Section 150 of the FCCPA 2018, is why we are here today to carry out an enforcement exercise, which includes sealing the premises,” he said.
He stressed that the Commission’s action was lawful and necessary to protect consumers from exploitation.
“These are not isolated cases. These are multiple consumers who have paid fully and have not received value for their money for over three years. The government cannot sit by and watch when consumers are exploited or misled in any form,” Nadah added.
On claims by the developer that the matter had been appealed, the FCCPC official said the Commission had not received any notice to that effect.
“We are not aware of any appeal, and as far as we are concerned, the action we are taking is lawful and within the provisions of the Act,” he stated.
He further warned that the crackdown was not limited to one company, revealing that several investigations were ongoing in the real estate sector.
“There are numerous complaints before the Commission. Work is ongoing, and we are looking at the sector generally, not just this particular case,” he said.
Nadah also advised prospective homebuyers to exercise caution when dealing with developers.
“Consumers should come forward with complaints whenever their rights are violated. At the same time, they must be vigilant, verify claims made by developers, and ensure they are fully informed before entering into transactions,” he said.
However, the management of Paradise Estate faulted the Commission’s action, insisting that the dispute was contractual and already before the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal.
Speaking on behalf of the company, Mr Aloysius Ezengwa said the issue stemmed from a disagreement with one subscriber over the terms of a sale agreement.
He said, “The transaction in question is covered by a contract of sale duly executed by the parties. We responded to the Commission’s summons and highlighted all relevant provisions of that contract.
“Subsequently, they issued what they called an order to show cause, directing us to comply with certain directives which, in our view, are at variance with the contract freely entered into by the parties.”
Ezengwa added that the company had filed an appeal against the Commission’s decision.
“We made it clear that we were dissatisfied with the decision and have lodged an appeal at the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal in line with the law.
“We were scheduled to appear, but proceedings could not go on because some members of the tribunal were unavailable. So the matter is still pending,” he said.
He maintained that the company would determine its next line of action after reviewing the situation.
The sealing of the estate highlights growing regulatory scrutiny of Nigeria’s real estate sector, where delays, disputed allocations, and outright non-delivery of properties have triggered widespread complaints from subscribers.
The FCCPC, established under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, is mandated to protect consumers against unfair business practices, including misrepresentation, non-delivery of goods and services, and exploitative contracts.
In recent years, the Commission has intensified enforcement across sectors, particularly real estate, where weak regulation and high demand have exposed buyers to risks.
The increasing number of disputes reflects deeper structural issues, including inadequate oversight, poor contract enforcement, and rising housing demand in major cities like Abuja and Lagos.
Decisive enforcement actions, such as the sealing of defaulting developers, could help restore confidence in the sector and deter sharp practices, especially as more Nigerians turn to off-plan property purchases amid rising housing costs.
The enforcement actions by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission can be best understood as part of a broader, more aggressive push to assert its legal authority under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, which established the agency as Nigeria’s primary consumer watchdog.
