Tanzania’s competition watchdog (FCC) held a stakeholder seminar on Tuesday aimed at strengthening consumer protection and raising awareness among businesses and service providers ahead of this year’s World Consumer Rights Day.
Opening the event, Acting Director General of the Fair Competition Commission (FCC), Khadija Ngasongwa, said the initiative was part of broader efforts to improve efficiency, transparency and compliance with consumer protection laws in the marketplace.
“We must ensure consistency and efficiency while reviewing the legal framework to guarantee that products and services offered in the market are cost-effective and fair to consumers,” Ngasongwa said.
She noted that businesses have a responsibility to comply with policies and regulations governing consumer protection to maintain trust and accountability with customers.
The theme of this year’s discussions emphasised ensuring that goods and services available in the market are safe and reliable for Tanzanian consumers.
Ngasongwa said contractual agreements between businesses and customers have helped streamline commercial activities, but warned that some terms could unfairly limit consumers’ rights, including their ability to seek compensation in cases involving safety or service failures.
Under Tanzania’s Competition Act of 2001 (revised in 2014), consumer protection provisions require businesses to respect fair contractual practices and ensure that consumers’ rights are safeguarded when entering agreements for goods or services.
The seminar brought together representatives from companies across different sectors, with discussions focusing on strengthening consumer rights, improving compliance with regulations and building trust in the marketplace.
Ngasongwa said the FCC has been organising similar platforms to improve understanding among businesses and service providers regarding contractual obligations and regulatory requirements.
She added that the annual observance of World Consumer Rights Day serves as an opportunity to engage the media, editors, journalists, business stakeholders and service providers in raising nationwide awareness about consumer protection.
“Through this seminar we expect to exchange experiences, identify challenges and work together on solutions that strengthen consumer protection,” she said.
Also speaking at the event, Tuse M. Journe, Executive Director of the Tanzania Bankers Association (TBA), thanked the Bank of Tanzania for introducing regulations requiring financial institutions to present terms and conditions to customers in a language they understand.
Journe said the measures have helped improve consistency and transparency across service providers in the financial sector.
She added that the banking industry has launched a consumer awareness initiative known as the “Niko Fiti” campaign aimed at strengthening trust between financial institutions and customers.
“The campaign is designed to ensure consumers feel secure when using banking services. If issues arise, customers also have access to the Bank of Tanzania’s complaint mechanisms,” she said.
Officials said the forum was intended to strengthen collaboration among regulators, businesses and consumer advocates while encouraging service providers to act as ambassadors for fair market practices.
