Market Survey Reveals Nigerians Appetite for Foreign Products
Despite the move by the government to encourage patronage and consumption of locally made goods and services to save the dwindling Naira and ultimately grow the economy, consumers have not stopped the crave for imported items.
When THISDAY engaged some shop owners and shoppers in a chat, not too many seemed to believe in Nigerian products despite widespread campaign to promote made-in-Nigeria goods
According to Lola Agbaje, a boutique owner in Ogba, Lagos, “I have never sold Nigerian products in my store, not because I don’t value them but because my customers won’t even look at them twice; customers are foreign wears crazy and we have no option than to dance to Nigerians have kicked against the Federal Government’s proposed communications service tax which they described as another way of exploiting the struggling consumers.
Angry subscribers who said they were yet to agree with the government on the newly introduced charges on bank transactions in its bid to generate more revenue due to the prevailing economic situations called on the National Assembly quash the proposal.
The new Communication Service Tax Bill seeks to impose, charge and collect Communication Service Tax (CST) and will be levied on service fees payable by users of electronic communication services which will be borne by the customers. The categories of communication services liable to the tax include voice calls, SMS, MMS, Data and Pay TV.
Abimbola Akanbi,a subscriber described the development as one which sought to stifle communications and impose further hardship on poor subscribers.
Akanbi who urged the government to seek other alternative ways to generate revenue said such bills if passed into law may bring about double taxation as the phone companies would hike their charges as a result of the cost they would incur in complying with the law and filing returns.
Another subscriber chidi Obinna, said the government had indirectly chosen another way to revive the social media bill.
“The implication of this is that Nigerians will have to pay more for communications services including data bundle to access social media. Should we pay more for these services, then there will be limit to how we visit these platforms because of fear of exorbitant charges.” Also reacting, The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) said the bill should not be made to stand considering the inconvenience it would foist on subscribers.
According to Executive Secretary of ATCON, Ajibola Olude “Already, Nigerians are complaining of economy hardship, imposing another tax on them will add to their burden and in effect, reduce communications growth.
“As far as we acknowledge that it is a trying period for the economy, that is not to say that we should transfer the burden on consumers who are also strongly affected by the harsh economy status. Already, subscribers are already paying high for telecommunications services compared to what is obtainable in other countries. Asides this, telecommunicaton business will be largely affected because subscribers will reduce their interaction with telecommunications services and in turn affect the overall profits of service providers.” Olude noted. their tune. Even now that they are shouting buy Naija here and there, customers attitude have not changed, in fact, the demand for foreign wears increases the more on a daily basis.”
A visit to the children section of Eko Idumota market further justifies Nigerians’ growing love for foreign goods as most consumers would not stop by until they sight a store where imported products are displayed.
A shop owner who did not want to be named told THISDAY that the trend in the market had always been the demand for UK or US products no matter how expensive they are because of the Forex challenge and for them as traders, the only way to remain relevant in the market As a way to appreciate loyalty and commitment, Nigeria’s leading Code Division and Multiple Access (CDMA) operator, Visafone Communications Limited has engaged its teeming customers to a courtesy reception in Lagos.
The party which held at the prestigious Red Restaurant, Eko Hotels and Suites saw some of the brand’s selected customers wine and dine with the officials of the company in a relaxed atmosphere .
According to Head, Brands and Corporate Communications, Mr. Joseph Ushigiale, the company acknowledged the importance of subscribers to its relevance, the reason why they had chosen to celebrate and appreciate them for always being there.
He said: “We are Nigeria’s foremost CDMA Company and we realise the role of our subscribers in taking us to the top. We organised this dinner for our esteemed customers just to say thank you to them for their support to the Visafone brand through the years.”
While stressing that the event would was to stock their stores with over 80 per cent of imported items and few Nigerian wares for the purpose of the low income earners.
To Ifedayo Oni, a shopper at one of the chain stores in Ikeja, said she had never tasted a made-in-Nigeria rice and did not see any reason why she should do so.
“I’m a Nigerian, though I’ve lived most of my life outside the country, I’m scared of made in Nigeria products because I don’t trust the source. Besides, that is the culture in my home. Right from time, it has always been foreign rice or none,” she said.
According to the outcome of a market survey carried out by the National Association of Nigerian Traders, NANT, over 98.7 per cent of goods sold in chain stores across the country are foreign made .This implies that only 1.3 per cent of Nigerian made products are being sold in these stores.
The President of the association, Ken Ukaoha who expressed disappointment over the development noted that government campaign against Nigeria’s excessive flair for foreign products was yet to produce the expected effects.
Ukaoha added that if government actually meant business to change Nigerian’s interest from foreign goods, it needed to review the country trade policy which had since been redundant as a result of negligence.