Nokia Nigeria has warned consumers against purchasing fake phones and accessories saying it could be an impediment of growth to the country’s booming tech sector.
Silvin Sinan, Head of Care Centre at Nokia Nigeria, which oversees the West African operations of the phone company, said that fake phones were among a number of issues that threatens the survival of the industry because “they are abundant.”
“One of such is the abundance of fake and substandard goods and accessories, a situation that has eaten so deep into the fabric of the sector and may destroy it if unchecked. The influx of fake and substandard products cut across all segments of the sector”, Sinan said.
Nokia advised that consumers to insist on original devices because they are more durable and come with full warranty. “Incidentally, mobile phones and their accessories are not different as many consumers opted for sub-standard devices because they are cheap and look like the original.”
The Nokia Nigeria exec said there is need for collaboration between device makers and government to enlighten the public on how to identify fake mobile devices.
The Nigeria ICT sector is currently contributing 7.8 percent to the nations GDP.