From Courtroom to Self-Decision: ADR as Mechanism for E-Commerce Consumer Protection in Nigeria and Indonesia

Sunusi Dauda; Dewi Sulistianingsih; Aya Said  Mahmoud

doi:10.15294/ijals.v8i2.58824

Authors

Sunusi Dauda Bayero Univeristy, Kano, Nigeria, Nigeria Author https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6112-2825
Dewi Sulistianingsih Faculty of Law, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Semarang, Indonesia, Indonesia Author https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4152-0590
Aya Said Mahmoud Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt, Egypt Author https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5389-2780

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15294/ijals.v8i2.58824

Keywords:

Consumer Protection, Alternative Dispute Resolution, E-Commerce, Access to Justice, Nigeria and Indonesia

Abstract

The expansion of digital commerce has transformed consumer transactions while generating new challenges for the protection and enforcement of consumer rights in online marketplaces. Conventional court litigation is often ill-suited to resolving e-commerce disputes due to its cost, procedural complexity, and limited accessibility, particularly for low-value consumer claims. This study examines the legal frameworks governing ADR as a mechanism for advancing consumer protection and improving access to justice in Nigeria and Indonesia. Employing a normative doctrinal legal research method with a qualitative approach, the study analyzes legislation, regulations, judicial decisions, policy documents, international legal instruments, and relevant literature. It evaluates how both jurisdictions incorporate ADR into their consumer protection regimes and assesses the extent to which their legal and institutional frameworks facilitate the resolution of e-commerce disputes. It demonstrates that Indonesia has established a more integrated legal framework by combining consumer protection, electronic transactions, and ADR legislation within a coordinated regulatory structure. By contrast, Nigeria provides statutory recognition for ADR through its consumer protection legislation, but the legal and institutional framework for resolving online consumer disputes remains comparatively fragmented. The study argues that ADR serves not only as a dispute resolution mechanism but also as an important instrument of consumer legal protection by enhancing access to justice, reducing procedural barriers, and strengthening consumer confidence in the digital economy. It concludes by recommending legal harmonization, stronger institutional coordination, and policy reforms to reinforce consumer protection and expand the role of ADR as an accessible legal service in the evolving digital marketplace.

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