About 57 percent of technology products procured by Nigerian government agencies and corporate organisations are refurbished equipment sold as new, according to Leo Stan Ekeh, founder and chairman of Zinox Group, who has called for stronger sanctions and digital verification systems to tackle the practice.
Ekeh made the disclosure at the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) during a session titled “E-Commerce and Procurement: Transforming Public Contracting through Digital Systems, Transparency and Local Capacity Development.”
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According to Ekeh, the problem is driven partly by the failure of government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and businesses to respect the legitimate local partnership structures established by global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).
He described the practice of procuring refurbished equipment and presenting it as brand new as fraudulent, arguing that firms found culpable should face appropriate sanctions.
The revelation comes as Nigeria increases investment in digital infrastructure and seeks to use technology to modernise public services, improve productivity and accelerate the development of a digital economy.
Ekeh, who has spent more than four decades working with global technology companies including HP, IBM, Dell, Cisco and Microsoft, said Nigeria’s procurement culture must move beyond an obsession with foreign brands and focus more heavily on authenticity, quality, value for money and local capacity.
He argued that the pursuit of foreign technology brands does not necessarily guarantee better quality, particularly…
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