FCCPC Shuts Down Visa Centers for France, Belgium, and Italy

ABUJA, Nigeria - The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has shut down the visa centers for France, Belgium, and Italy located at the Mukhtar El-Yakub House in Central Business District, Abuja. 

This action was taken with the collaboration of FCCPC officials, the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, as the center's staff resisted the closure. The center is managed by TLS Contact, a Teleperformance Company.

During the sealing on Thursday, Boladale Adeyinka, the director of FCCPC's Surveillance and Investigations Department, explained that the closure resulted from the center's non-compliance in receiving a letter from the commission to investigate a consumer complaint.

Adeyinka indicated that the center was also sealed for obstructing an investigation and for engaging in activities deemed potentially harmful to consumers' interests.

The center is required to appear before the commission on June 20 to provide testimony and evidence regarding their failure to respond to the investigation request and obstruction of inquiry.

She stated that a letter was sent to them on March 25, 2025, in response to consumer complaints, instructing them to address these issues.

“Instead of accepting the consumer complaint, TLS officers assaulted our personnel who were lawfully carrying out their duties in accordance with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA).

In response to the incident, the commission ordered them to be summoned to appear before it as per section 33 of the FCCPA.”

“Instead of complying with the commission's summons, TLS officers again assaulted our officials and uniformed police officers providing security during the commission's operations on June 17.” Section 33 states that any individual who fails to appear before the commission without just cause in response to a summons commits an offense, punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to three years, a fine not exceeding ₦20 million, or both penalties.

Adeyinka also stated that the company would be responsible for any losses and expenses incurred by visa applicants due to the enforcement actions taken.

The management of the company, however, declined to provide a comment on the situation.