There is nothing secret about the impression many Nigerians have over the poor quality of certain types of goods available in the country. In years past, some people used to refer to inferior or fake goods as either “panya” or “Ijebu”. Not anymore. These days, people point accusing fingers at China. Nigerians tend to believe that Chinese goods imported and sold in Nigerian markets, especially electrical materials and indeed electronics are of poor quality.
The intriguing aspect of the situation is that it is also believed that some Nigerian entrepreneurs and importers are the ones who ask the Chinese to produce low quality goods for them at cheaper rates. They make good money by flooding Nigerian markets with the sub-standard goods. Some people will say that this impression is neither here nor there. But the Chinese authorities are obviously not satisfied with these impressions.
The Chinese Government has therefore reiterated its commitment towards assisting Nigeria in ensuring that only goods that meet acceptable standards as stipulated by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, find their way into the Nigerian market.
The President, China Chamber of Commerce in Nigeria,CCCN, Ye Shuijin, who made this declarationin Abuja on behalf of the Chinese Government, however, argued that most of the substandard goods were not made in China, but were erroneously believed to be Chinese products.
According to him, the Chamber and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria have reached an agreement previously, to check the influx of substandard products into the country, and that since then, the Chinese Government had taken it upon itself to regulate what comes into the country.
He said: “Most of the substandard products that came to Nigeria were not from China, because the Chinese Government has put up well-structured standards in place for its products. “We can say now that only few substandard goods are in Nigeria. Chinese Government is cooperating with Nigeria in ensuring that only high standard products are exported to Nigeria.”
Mr. Shuijin,who expressed concern that in spite of all that the Chinese Government does in Nigeria, the country is stereotyped for low quality or substandard goods, stressed the need to guide importers towards towing the part of honour by reporting any importer of such goods to the relevant authorities.
He noted that the Chamber and the Chinese Government always encouraged investors from China to invest in the manufacturing sector to help in the development of the Nigerian economy.
According to Mr. Shuijin, who gave a firm assurance that more Chinese investors would be willing to invest in the African country, Nigeria’s population has made the country a big market, which is an added advantage in attracting investors into the country.
