July 21, 2010
Whilst Nigeria continues to seek ways and means of developing its economy and tap into its natural resources, I think the country is in danger of being overwhelmed with the undue influence of China's presence in Nigeria. China, an emerging economic power in the new age, is known for its ability to produce and manufacture goods at low costs when compared to developed economies in the West.
Whilst Nigeria continues to seek ways and means of developing its economy and tap into its natural resources, I think the country is in danger of being overwhelmed with the undue influence of China's presence in Nigeria. China, an emerging economic power in the new age, is known for its ability to produce and manufacture goods at low costs when compared to developed economies in the West.
Subsequently in the light of the more rigorous controls on importation of fake and inferior quality goods in developed economies, China has had to look towards Africa for dumping its cheap goods. Nigeria today suffers from the importation of cheap and inferior goods from China such as sub-standard syringes, a medical device. India too was implicated in the outcry by the then Director of NAFDAC, Prof. Dora Akunyili during her tenure, in the dumping of this sub standard medical device. Zambia today is overwhelmed with cheap textiles from China, which has led to the collapse of their domestic and homegrown textile industry. I predict very confidently that Nigeria textile industry is soon to go the same way if it hasn't already gone!
Balogun market in Lagos today is awash with cheap and inferior goods made in China but sold at cheap prices. Don't even talk about Alaba market.
Nigeria is signing trade and development pacts with China and even oil exploration or the building oil refineries in Nigeria. The recent oil spillage accident in China bears evidence to the quality of Chinese expertise in this field! Nigeria should be very wary with whom we go to bed in the name of economic development. It is China today. Would it be North Korea tomorrow in the name of 'technical assistance' for nuclear power as energy source for electricity or even Iran? In our zeal for inward investments Nigeria should be cautious and not be bamboozled into submitting its economic integrity into the hands of trade and development partners out to dump their goods on Nigeria. China is notorious for the production of fake and cheap goods and its about time our people wizened up. Equal partnership borne out of mutual respect is what Nigeria deserves and not one where our corrupt politicians, most of whom are intellectually inept in these matters, sell out the country for their own cheap personal gains. Our one time international airline industry was dominated by foreign partners who ripped-off Nigerians with not so much as a whimper from the relevant government department - a case of ineptitude on the part of government official and/or corrupt and contemptible humans being who by sheer bad luck of the gene pool happen to be Nigerians. I hope our people do not get too distracted with the politics of You Chop-I Chop and the sheer bloody hassle of trying to survive the daily life and existence in the country not to notice our local industries being ripped apart by China's cheap junk. There is nothing worse than being shafted in your own backyard by foreigners from far-flung lands taking you for mugu. This rallying call should not be mistaken or confused with xenophobia but rather a need for our people, Nigerians, to be vigilant in the face of the deluge of cheap crap from China flooding our markets. The cheap crap made in China that you bought today for a very low price will fall to pieces in less time than it takes for a more superior product from more established renowned brands. Whatever the heck happened to our local textiles industry.
We should not allow China and indeed other countries of same economic ilk and their propensity for dumping cheap and fake goods to have undue influence in Nigeria. Quality and not quantity is what Nigeria deserves.
Dotun Adepoju
([email protected])
Subsequently in the light of the more rigorous controls on importation of fake and inferior quality goods in developed economies, China has had to look towards Africa for dumping its cheap goods. Nigeria today suffers from the importation of cheap and inferior goods from China such as sub-standard syringes, a medical device. India too was implicated in the outcry by the then Director of NAFDAC, Prof. Dora Akunyili during her tenure, in the dumping of this sub standard medical device. Zambia today is overwhelmed with cheap textiles from China, which has led to the collapse of their domestic and homegrown textile industry. I predict very confidently that Nigeria textile industry is soon to go the same way if it hasn't already gone!
Balogun market in Lagos today is awash with cheap and inferior goods made in China but sold at cheap prices. Don't even talk about Alaba market.
Nigeria is signing trade and development pacts with China and even oil exploration or the building oil refineries in Nigeria. The recent oil spillage accident in China bears evidence to the quality of Chinese expertise in this field! Nigeria should be very wary with whom we go to bed in the name of economic development. It is China today. Would it be North Korea tomorrow in the name of 'technical assistance' for nuclear power as energy source for electricity or even Iran? In our zeal for inward investments Nigeria should be cautious and not be bamboozled into submitting its economic integrity into the hands of trade and development partners out to dump their goods on Nigeria. China is notorious for the production of fake and cheap goods and its about time our people wizened up. Equal partnership borne out of mutual respect is what Nigeria deserves and not one where our corrupt politicians, most of whom are intellectually inept in these matters, sell out the country for their own cheap personal gains. Our one time international airline industry was dominated by foreign partners who ripped-off Nigerians with not so much as a whimper from the relevant government department - a case of ineptitude on the part of government official and/or corrupt and contemptible humans being who by sheer bad luck of the gene pool happen to be Nigerians. I hope our people do not get too distracted with the politics of You Chop-I Chop and the sheer bloody hassle of trying to survive the daily life and existence in the country not to notice our local industries being ripped apart by China's cheap junk. There is nothing worse than being shafted in your own backyard by foreigners from far-flung lands taking you for mugu. This rallying call should not be mistaken or confused with xenophobia but rather a need for our people, Nigerians, to be vigilant in the face of the deluge of cheap crap from China flooding our markets. The cheap crap made in China that you bought today for a very low price will fall to pieces in less time than it takes for a more superior product from more established renowned brands. Whatever the heck happened to our local textiles industry.
We should not allow China and indeed other countries of same economic ilk and their propensity for dumping cheap and fake goods to have undue influence in Nigeria. Quality and not quantity is what Nigeria deserves.
Dotun Adepoju
([email protected])
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