Abstract
This paper examines the emergence of e-commerce/online consumer products and services transaction in Nigeria. The paper further considers the types, benefits and challenges of e-commerce companies and consumers of online sales products and services. The paper revealed that in as much as this is an emerging trend in Nigeria, the consumers’ are gradually adopting the online purchases and various channels of e- payment particularly as a result of the prevailing cashless policy of the Nigerian Government. The paper concluded that though the emerging trend is laudable due to its benefits; however the various challenges of lack of specific and comprehensive law on this subject, which has left the innocent consumers’ of online products and services to the mercy of the unwholesome adverts, deceptive products of the e-commerce companies website owners, and fraudulent/criminal activities of internet criminals/fraudsters against the interests of the consumers: if unabated may discourage many consumers from online transactions. The paper recommended for specific and comprehensive law on e-commerce/online transaction to be enacted, that the website online should always make it a priority to encrypt their portals with special encryption algorithms protocols, use recent firewalls like anti-virus software and make payment channels more secure, for the customers’ sensitive data and privacy to be preserved. These were recommended, after it was discovered that these and more are the challenges bedeviling the secured and seamless e-commerce/online growth in Nigeria. The enactment of specific law on e-commerce will curb the evil actions of cyber criminals and sale of deceptive/substandard products online.
Keywords: Legal Evaluation, E-commerce Transactions, Emerging Trend and Nigeria