Nigeria Content Online

The
Anti-Counterfeit Collaboration, Nigeria (a non-governmental
organisation) and concerned brands in the country have called on
federal and state governments to address the problem of counterfeit
products, which they say is threatening the Nigerian market. The
concerns were raised at a media roundtable held in Lagos at the weekend.

Marcel
Van de pas, head of retail, Nokia West Africa, the host brand at the
event, said the brand was glad to partner with the government and local
agencies to ensure consumers have access to genuine products.

“Counterfeit
products are not only potentially harmful to consumers but also have a
negative impact on the local economy and on supporting local
innovation. We will continue to support government efforts to reduce
the proliferation of counterfeit products in our market,” he said.

“The counterfeit market in the technology sector is over 18% and still
growing and from all these, the government does not get anything in
terms of tax or anything in form of revenue.”

Uche
Nwokocha, a senior member of the Anti-Counterfeit Collaboration,
Nigeria said the organisation was formed in October 2006 as an
initiative by Aluko & Oyebode, a law firm, to bring brand owners,
enforcement agencies and interested parties together to fight the
already rampant counterfeiting and piracy in Nigeria.

Mrs. Nwokocha said factors that contribute to counterfeiting in Nigeria
range from the lack of consumer enlightenment on the dangers of
counterfeit products to the perceived cheaper cost of such products.

“The
difficulty of detection by mere physical examination of end users, the
reluctance of brand owners to notify the public of the existence of
counterfeit of its original products so as not to negatively affects
sales, among other factors contribute to the counterfeiting business,”
she said.

Consequences

Apart
from consumers not getting the safe and effective products they pay
for, legitimate manufacturers and intellectual property owners suffer
from the trade mark patent and copyright infringement and loss of
goodwill.

Marc
Schreuder, chairman of the Anti Counterfeit Collaboration, Nigeria and
Chief Executive of KFC Nigeria, an international fast food chain, which
recently started operation in Nigeria, said the challenge of fake
products is not restricted to fast moving consumer goods lone.

“The fast food industry is rife with copyrights infringements which mean consumers do not get value for money,” he said.

Mrs
Nwokocha added that counterfeit products also discourages firms from
embarking on research and development leading to loss of employment
opportunity.

“It
also discourages foreign investment as they would be suspicious that
investment will be negated by competing counterfeiting activity,” she
said.

Urgent solution needed

The
volume of counterfeit goods in Nigeria is about 60%-80% based on a
survey recently conducted in pharmaceuticals, luxury goods, software
and computer hardware, audio and visual sector, motor vehicle spare
parts and food and beverages, Mrs. Nwokocha said.

The
battle against counterfeit products, she added, is the responsibility
of the Nigerian government, the brand owners and even the end users.

“The
Nigerian government should tighten its laws and measures against such
practices. They should also improve communication with consumers and
(make) policies for better surveillance, control and prevention of
public health risks associated with counterfeit goods,” she said.

“It will be more effective if these goods are stopped at the ports
and borders, for those that are imported, than to tell users what to do
to identify the genuine product.”