BAT Nigeria Fined for Dominance Abuse

British American Tobacco Nigeria has been fined $110 million fine following allegations of market dominance abuse and infringement of public health regulations, reports Reuters.

The Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) said BAT had also penalized retailers for providing equal platforms for its competitors’ products.

The fine, which is not eligible for appeal, is the highest ever levied by the Nigerian competition commission.

The FCCPC started investigating BAT in 2020 and obtained a federal court order to search multiple BAT sites and those of service providers for evidence used in a forensic analysis.

The competition watchdog will monitor BAT for 24 months to ensure appropriate behavior and business practice consistent with prevailing competition laws and tobacco control efforts, the FCCPC wrote on X.

“In exchange for BAT parties fulfilling their obligations under the consent order, the commission withdrew pending criminal charges against BAT Nigeria and at least one employee with respect to obstructing the commission,” the FCCPC wrote.