Ikeja Computer Village inaugurates campaign against fake products

Executives of the Ikeja Computer Village in Lagos say it has inaugurated a campaign against the hawking and buying of phones and other electronic devices on its streets.

The Chairman, Ikeja Computer Village Market Board, Chief Adebowale Shoyebo, told our correspondent in Lagos on Thursday.

NEWSVERGE reports that the Ikeja Computer Village is the largest Information and Communication Technology (ICT) accessories’ market in Africa.

Shoyebo said that the campaign against street hawking was essentially to curb infiltration of fake products and electronic devices into the market and country at large.

The chairman said that the campaign would educate and sensitise customers on disadvantages of patronising fake products in the Computer Village.

He said that the campaign would educate customers to patronise shops, stalls, kiosks or stands for any of their electronics or mobile devices.

Shoyebo noted that this would aid identification in case of unforeseen or unexpected developments.

According to him, five persons have been sanctioned in the first quarter of the year for dealing in fake products and the market board is not taking it lightly with offenders.

“We have been talking with the people, even those buying in the market to patronise shops and stop buying from the street hawkers.

“Take for instance, you have a shop, and you issue receipts to your customers, you will not sell fake products because they will come for you. But most of these fake products, ‘Malaysia money’ are operated on the streets,’’ he said.

Shoyebo also said that there was need to encourage local production because the country was blessed with talents, even in the Computer Village.

He said that almost all electronic devices sold in the market were imported, even the ordinary plastic phone pouch, hence the heavy reliance on Foreign Exchange (forex), and influx of fake products.

He urged government to make available adequate supply of electricity for local production to develop in the country.

He also urged that efforts to reduce the forex rate should continue.