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Agencies of government said curbing the menace of counterfeit
products in Nigeria is difficult, but they are thinking ahead of government’s
strategies to control the situation.

Speaking at an ‘Anti-counterfeit Media Roundtable’, organised by
Nokia in Lagos last Tuesday, Adewunmi Richard, group head,
electrical/electronics, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, said that
counterfeit problem is difficult for agencies to tackle because by the time
government sets up a way to control the problem, some Nigerians are looking for
another way to outsmart government.

“Counterfeiting is an imitation that is made usually with intent
or deceptively represents its content or origin. When you look at all its
features, it looks the same as an original,” Mr. Richard said at the event.

“The SON tried to devise other means to control counterfeit products
from coming into the country via its SONCAP certificate, but I am sorry to tell
you that as at today, we discovered two weeks ago some people opened an office
in Abuja to forge SONCAP certificate.That is their business, and they know how
to formulate all the security features for the dealers,” added Mr. Richard.

Technology is worst hit

Mr. Richard explained that counterfeit issues are very
predominant in the technology and electronic sector in the country.

“There are some mobile phones, if you make a call for five
minutes, the phone is placed far away from your ears because it is very hot.
The auto speaker in your handset is made of coil; if the quality of the coil is
not good, what it means is that the more you talk the more it heats up the
coil. The heat transmitted to the body from the handset could be harmful to the
user,” he said.

Ify Umenyi, the director general of Consumer Protection Council
(CPC), said, “The ill of counterfeiting is sometimes perceived by society as a
victimless crime, with ‘fakes’ simply constituting a cheap alternative
purchase. At times, consumers are constrained by ignorance, inability to detect
counterfeit products, and poverty.

“Incidentally, consumers opt for substandard or counterfeit
mobile handsets, often referred to as ‘China phones’, because they are
seemingly cheap and look exactly like the originals,” added Ms. Umenyi.

Also commenting on the issue, Timi Bomodi, the spokesperson for
the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), said that counterfeiting is a major concern
to governments and institutions worldwide because of its implications.

The gathering agreed that government agencies and consumers must
come together to fight the menace.

“Where there is co-operation between the public and the private
sector, it becomes difficult for counterfeiters and the dealers in counterfeit
goods to thrive. We should, therefore, join forces to make Nigeria counterfeit
proof,” said Mr. Bomodi.