NAFDAC, NCC, LAWMA, others get citizens’ recognition at 5th Consumers Value Awards

L- R: Head, Reforms Unit/Office of Women and Child Health, National Agency of Food & Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Joan Abaagu; General Manager, Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA), Afolabi Solebo; Assistant Director, Team Lead, Support Services Nigerian Communications Commission Lagos Zonal Office, ,Temitope Alli-Balogun and Convener Consumers Value Awards, Akonte Ekine, at the just concluded 5th edition of the Consumers Value Awards (CVA), held at the Radisson Hotel Lagos.

Michael Olumide Alabi

Consumers and citizens took centre stage at the 5th edition of the Consumers Value Awards (CVA), as 40 brands and government institutions were recognised for their perceived contributions to consumer value, service delivery and public impact.

The awards ceremony, organised by BrandXchange, a consumer-focused brand and reputation platform, was held on Wednesday in Ikeja, Lagos.

The 2026 edition, themed “Beyond satisfaction: Redefining consumer value in a new economy,” marked the fifth anniversary of the Consumers Value Awards, which has evolved from a brand-recognition initiative into a broader platform for consumer engagement, citizen feedback and institutional accountability.

A major highlight of the ceremony was the introduction of the Citizens Scorecard, through which participating citizens assessed selected government institutions based on service delivery, responsiveness and public impact.

According to the scorecard results, the Lagos State Printing Corporation recorded 81.1 per cent and received recognition for Excellence in Service Delivery.

The Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) recorded 46.9 per cent and was recognised with the Outstanding Public Service Impact Award, while the National Communications Commission (NCC) scored 54.8 per cent and received the Outstanding MDA/Public Service Impact Award.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) recorded 38.2 per cent and was recognised as the Citizen-Centric MDA of the Year.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) was also recognised as the Most Trusted Public Institution.

The organisers said the Citizens Scorecard represents an important expansion of the CVA platform, providing citizens with an avenue to express their perceptions of public institutions and their experiences with government services.

Speaking at the ceremony, Convener of the Consumers Value Awards, Akonte Ekine, said the initiative was founded on the belief that consumers and citizens should have a stronger voice in both the marketplace and public service delivery.

“We believe that consumers and citizens are the paymasters. And paymasters deserve a better experience,” Ekine said.

He noted that the five-year journey of the CVA had demonstrated the importance of creating platforms where consumers could speak, engage and recognise organisations that earn their confidence.

Since its inception, the platform has recorded more than 38,000 votes and engagements, while over 500 brands have been nominated during the five-year.

Sanwo-Olu: Satisfaction alone no longer enough

In his goodwill address, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, said customer satisfaction alone was no longer sufficient in defining consumer value.

The Governor’s address was delivered by Fola Solebo, General Manager, Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA), who represented the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.

Sanwo-Olu stressed the importance of trust, empathy, accessibility and sustainability in shaping the relationship between organisations and the people they serve.

He described today’s consumer as both a buyer and curator whose decisions are increasingly influenced by access to information, social media and prevailing economic realities.

The Governor also urged government and private-sector organisations to continue to respect, value and serve consumers.

He described the awards as a “receipt of the trust the people have placed in you.”

NCC reaffirms support

The National Communications Commission also reaffirmed its support for the Consumers Value Awards initiative.

The goodwill message of the NCC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Aminu Maida, was represented by Temitope Alli-Balogun, Assistant Director and Team Lead, Support Services, Lagos Zonal Office.

The Commission said the Citizens Scorecard provides an avenue for amplifying consumer voices while encouraging responsiveness, transparency and accountability among institutions.

The NCC itself received the Outstanding MDA/Public Service Impact Award based on the Citizens Scorecard.

NAFDAC Highlights Safety, Quality
For NAFDAC, consumer value is closely linked to safety, quality and efficacy.

The agency’s goodwill message from its Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, was represented by Joan Abaagu, Head, Reforms Unit/Office of Women and Child Health, Lagos.

NAFDAC commended BrandXchange for creating a platform through which citizens could directly evaluate brands and public institutions.

The agency also emphasised the importance of integrity and transparency in building and sustaining consumer trust.

Akin Adewakun wins Consumer Reporting Journalism Award

Another major highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the Sola Salako Ajulo Award for Consumer Reporting Journalism to Akin Adewakun.

The award recognises journalism that promotes consumer awareness and strengthens the voice of consumers in the marketplace.

It is named after Sola Salako Ajulo, a prominent consumer rights advocate and long-standing mentor to the Consumers Value Awards.

The 5th edition also recognised brands and institutions across several categories, with the organisers maintaining the platform’s emphasis on Consumer Voice, Consumer Choice and Consumer Value.

According to BrandXchange, the Consumers Value Awards is deliberately designed to go beyond a conventional awards ceremony by providing an evolving platform for consumer engagement and encouraging brands, institutions and government to listen to the people they serve.

Five years after its launch, the CVA has expanded from a platform primarily focused on brand recognition to a broader conversation around consumer trust, public accountability, service delivery and the quality of relationships between institutions and the people they serve.

As Ekine stated in his welcome address: “Five years ago, we started a conversation.”

The 5th edition demonstrated the continued evolution of that conversation, with consumers and citizens occupying a more prominent position in discussions about value, trust, accountability and service delivery.