ABUJA, Nigeria(BN24) — Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has sealed off visa centres for France, Belgium, and Italy in Abuja, accusing the management of obstructing a lawful investigation and ignoring official summons related to a consumer complaint.
The enforcement action was carried out Thursday at the TLS Contact-operated facility inside Mukhtar El-Yakub House in the Central Business District, with the support of officers from the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. Tensions ran high as staff members of the centre resisted the operation, prompting a heavy security presence.
FCCPC Director of Surveillance and Investigations, Boladale Adeyinka, said the visa centres were sealed after they failed to acknowledge a formal letter from the Commission regarding a consumer complaint lodged against their services. Adeyinka noted that the centres also obstructed investigation efforts and engaged in conduct suspected to be harmful to consumer welfare.
“This is an enforcement operation against TLS,” Adeyinka told reporters at the scene. “They provide visa support services for Nigerian consumers. On March 25, 2025, we served them a letter requesting resolution of a consumer complaint. Instead of cooperating, TLS staff assaulted our officers performing their lawful duties.”
The situation escalated further on June 17, when, according to the FCCPC, TLS staff again assaulted Commission personnel — as well as uniformed police officers — who were present to ensure the security of the operation.
Adeyinka cited Section 33 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA), which makes it an offence to refuse a lawful summons from the Commission. Violators may face up to three years in prison, a ₦20 million fine, or both.
The FCCPC has summoned the company’s representatives to appear before the Commission on June 20 to make depositions and provide evidence concerning the obstruction and non-compliance.
“The company will also be held accountable for any losses or inconvenience suffered by visa applicants as a result of this enforcement,” Adeyinka added.
Despite repeated requests for comment, TLS Contact, which operates the centres and is a subsidiary of the multinational Teleperformance Group, has yet to issue a public response.
The shutdown is expected to significantly disrupt visa processing for Nigerian applicants to France, Belgium, and Italy — countries that rely heavily on TLS for consular outsourcing.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the enforcement marks a high-profile test of the FCCPC’s commitment to consumer protection in sensitive service sectors such as immigration and travel.
