Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Fair Competition Commission (FCC) has been urged to strengthen its oversight of market competition through tighter regulatory enforcement in both local and regional markets to promote fair trade, protect consumers and support long-term economic stability.
Deputy Minister for Industry and Trade Mr Dennis Londo made the remarks yesterday during a visit to the FCC offices, noting that enhanced market surveillance would improve access to quality goods and services while creating a more predictable environment for business growth.
“When someone enters the market and produces counterfeit goods, they destroy other people’s businesses and innovations by pushing genuine producers out of the market.
“You should therefore strengthen market oversight to promote fair competition and protect consumers, while discouraging unethical business practices,” he added.
The Deputy Minister said the commission must ensure effective control of counterfeit products, warning that their continued presence poses serious risks to the economy and distorts fair competition.
Moreover, he stressed the need to safeguard the quality of locally produced goods, cautioning that the export of substandard products could tarnish the country’s international reputation and reduce foreign exchange earnings.
“This country’s trade relations span many nations. If our products fall below international standards, we risk losing access to key markets and valuable economic opportunities,” he said.
FCC’s Acting Director General Ms Khadija Ngasongwa said the commission remains committed to enforcing competition and consumer protection laws to foster inclusive economic growth.
To that, the commission raised the merger notification threshold from 800m/- to 3.5bn/-, a move aimed at reducing regulatory burdens and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seeking expansion.
“This policy shift is designed to support SMEs by simplifying the merger process and enabling them to access capital, technology and new markets, which are essential for boosting productivity and scaling up operations,” she said.
