THE RELEVANCE OF SALES OF GOODS ACT TO CONSUMER PROTECTION IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The maxim – customers are always right, bedrocks protection of buyers and rests the Sales of Goods Act, 1893. Therefore, the Sales of Goods Act, 1893 was promulgated to protect consumers, i.e. customers, from the overreaching effect of the manufacturers, sellers of goods and providers of services. The Act was enacted to regulate sales of goods generally, and protect consumers and suppliers of goods. On this rests the various consumer protection laws. The paper employed doctrinal research methodology, by relying on textbooks, encyclopedia, journals and articles, both online and hardcopy which forms primary and secondary sources of law. This paper examined the rights and powers of consumers in the Act, vis-à-vis other regulations establishing consumers rights and found that consumers reserve some rights friendly to the ease of doing business and healthy competition in the market. It found that the market is regulated by different key players – buyers, sellers, government agencies, known as, regulators, ensuring fair play in the market proscribing its monopoly. Hence, should sellers outdo buyers, it is recommended that consumers secure protection from regulatory agencies that safeguards their rights, in accordance with the provisions entrenched in the local laws which derogates from the Sales of Goods Act.