Nigeria as safe haven for fake products

The critical role of energy in any nation’s economy have been emphasized by developmental experts, and for that reason, the government have been working relentlessly to ensure adequate power supply in the country. But Evidences have showed that if this desire of the people is met, Nigeria would be plunged into bigger problem as building […]

The critical role of energy in any nation’s economy have been emphasized by developmental experts, and for that reason, the government have been working relentlessly to ensure adequate power supply in the country. But Evidences have showed that if this desire of the people is met, Nigeria would be plunged into bigger problem as building collapse and Fire outbreaks may likely become a daily occurrence.
This is because a lot of buildings are constructed with substandard materials, ranging from cement-iron rods and lot of houses today are wired with fake cables and other electrical appliances. In today’s Nigerian building construction markets, a cable that indicates 2.5mm will not be able to carry load of 1.5mm. A simple experiment conducted in the cause of this situation proves that the country may be a case of thalidomide waiting for explosion if the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) supplies constant electricity to our homes.
Over the weekend, I used three different samples of wire cables to conduct an experiment after the lost of my electric pressing iron and a socket.  My electric socket (Royal Quest England) of 220-240V was used to connect my pressing iron of equal voltage, 220-240V, instantly the cable blew off and damaged the socket. I bought another socket of the same capacity but this time around, with electric iron of low capacity, this time around, the cable did not blow off but started melting like a candle. This shows that, the supposedly 220-240V is actually not up to 120V.
Apart from the wiring cables, electric bulbs in our market today are also fake, I live in an area where electricity supply is intermittent but I change my electric bulbs almost every five week. While two of the six bulbs I bought 7 months ago are still working, I have been changing the remaining four routinely. I bought them from the same place, at the same amount and the seller confirmed to me that they are the best bulbs I can get from the market now.
A cousin of mine lost his home to inferno which emanated from an electric bulb socket. Similar tragedy is not even rampant in the country as it should be because of irregular supply of electricity. The intermittent power outages are now helping to cool electrical installations and appliances for a while in the intervals where there is no electricity supply.
Apart from wiring cables and bulbs, stabilizers, Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS), air conditioner,  switches, electric cooking stove, pressing iron and many more other electrical materials being sold in the market today are fake.
Away from electrical appliances, most auto spare parts in the Nigerian market today are faked. It has gone to the level that, Toyota, Honda and other automobile manufacturers around the globe have all disowned most of their supposed auto spare parts currently in circulation in Nigeria. On daily basis, stories of tyre burst and failed break while the vehicle is in motion is heard, causing hundreds of deaths.

Onogwu Isah Muhammed, Lokoja <[email protected]>;