United States - FTC Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Nigerian Civil and Criminal Enforcement Authorities

The Federal Trade Commission signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with two Nigerian agencies, the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to increase cooperation and communication in their joint efforts to stamp out cross-border fraud. The CPC addresses consumer complaints through investigations and enforcement; the EFCC is a criminal enforcement agency with authority to address consumer fraud and other financial crimes.

The MOU is a framework for voluntary cooperation and will not change existing laws in either country. It provides for a Joint Implementation Committee to identify concrete areas of collaboration, establish joint training programs and workshops, and provide assistance regarding specific cases and investigations. Notably, it is the first FTC MOU of this kind to include a foreign criminal enforcement authority. 

"Cross-border scammers use fraudulent e-mails and other scams to bilk consumers all over the world, while undermining confidence in legitimate businesses,” said FTC Chairwoman Ramirez. “This MOU will help our agencies better protect consumers in both the U.S. and Nigeria.”

The FTC has already worked with the two Nigerian agencies on policy and enforcement matters in various organizations, including the African Consumer Protection Dialogue, the International Mass Marketing Fraud Working Group, the London Action Plan (LAP, an anti-spam network), and the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network.