Computer Village Explained

The Computer Village is an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) accessories market located in a community called Otigba, located at Ikeja, the capital of Lagos State, southwestern Nigeria. The market is the largest ICT accessory market in Africa.[1] [2] It is a perfect competition market, under the umbrella of the Computer and Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria [3] (CAPDAN).[4]

Apart from the sales of information and technology accessory, the markets also deals in the repair of mobile phones and computers. The computer and phone repairs could either be on software or hardware components depending on the nature of the fault.[5]

The market and its wide range of business activities gives opportunities to computer engineers and technicians who specialized in the repair of faulty computers and mobile phone to transact businesses with dealers of ICT accessory, thereby creating job opportunities for them.[6] The market is opened on a daily basis except on Sundays and public holidays.This daily business transactions and popularity has attracted new investors and ICT dealers across Africa thereby expanding the market size and population with profound effects on Lagos State economy.[7]

The ICT accessory market was formerly located at Ogunlana Drive, Surulere in the early 1990s and its current location was a mere residential area and offices.[8] Recently, Lagos State Government planned to relocate over 3000 traders from Otigba and building new facilities at the Katangowa site, a bustling 25-hectare market dealing mainly in clothes, shoes and textiles.[9]

Basic structural characteristics

The market is a Perfect market in which no dealer influences the price of the product it buys or sells within the market.There are huge number of buyers and sellers in the market coupled with a large number of consumers with willingness to buy the products at a certain price with respect to their need and income.[10] There is no Barriers to entry and exit from the market, permitting long term adjustments to changing in the market conditions.[11] ICT dealers and consumers have perfect knowledge of price, quality of the products and its utility with zero incur cost In course of their transactions.[12] The market also permit buyers to make rational purchases on the basis of information and price knowledge.[13]

Criticisms

Certain activities in the market have strongly been criticized by a good number of people across the country, who have painfully experienced the loss of money and prized gadgets to the schemes of unqualified engineers and fraudsters, who use the chaotic market as a medium to rip off people or sell counterfeit products and services, such as mobile phones, software, accessories, etc.[14] [15] There are several stories about stolen phones that often find their way into the market, but these unlawful act are usually perpetrated by unregistered traders and Retailers, some of whom it behoves to transact on vehicles' hoods, walkways, and display units rather than a proper brick-and-mortar store.[16] [17] However, there are two major categories of traders in the market, the registered and unregistered or free traders, who often sell in a nomadic and unaccountable fashion.[18] The later category of traders are easily the perpetrators of the crime in the market, given their drifting liberties. Nonetheless, mechanisms are getting established to ward against unauthorized dealers, sellers, and fixers.[19]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lagos' Computer Village: Home of the good, the bad, the ugly | Nigerian Tribune . 2020-07-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160502065319/http://tribuneonlineng.com/content/lagos%E2%80%99-computer-village-home-good-bad-ugly . 2016-05-02 . dead .
  2. Web site: SON declares 80% of market fake, CAPDAN kicks, admits 30%. Vanguard News. 13 August 2014 . 26 June 2015.
  3. Web site: Computer and Allied Product Dealers Association of Nigeria Archives . 2022-04-29 . The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News . en-US.
  4. Web site: Computer Village Archives - Technology Times. Technology Times. 26 June 2015.
  5. Web site: Nigerian Tribune - Nigeria's Most Informative Newspaper :: Breaking News, World News & Information. tribuneonlineng.com. 26 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150627035224/http://tribuneonlineng.com/content/will-relocation-curb-crime-lagos-computer-village. 27 June 2015. dead.
  6. Web site: Nigeria's largest markets. Ventures Africa. 6 November 2014 . June 26, 2015.
  7. Web site: Lagos to Relocate over 3,000 Computer Village Traders, Articles - THISDAY LIVE. thisdaylive.com. 26 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150630025533/http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/lagos-to-relocate-over-3-000-computer-village-traders/190619/. 30 June 2015. dead.
  8. Web site: The faraway second life of consumer electronics. Fortune. 26 June 2015.
  9. Web site: Africa . Wanted in . 2014-10-05 . Lagos to relocate Computer Village market . 2023-10-06 . Wanted in Africa . en.
  10. Unfair Trade e-Waste in Africa. 1440802 . 16581530 . 114. 2006. Environ. Health Perspect.. a232–5 . Schmidt . CW . 4 . 10.1289/ehp.114-a232.
  11. Web site: Coming to Nigeria is our biggest move in W-Africa, says Huawei boss. Vanguard News. 30 August 2011 . 26 June 2015.
  12. Web site: Nigerian demand for computer products, slowed down by market instability - IT News Africa- Africa's Technology News Leader. itnewsafrica.com. 26 June 2015.
  13. Web site: Business in Nigeria: Africa's testing ground. africanleadership.co.uk. 26 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150627235108/http://africanleadership.co.uk/business-in-nigeria-africas-testing-ground/. 27 June 2015. dead.
  14. Web site: Traders Threaten to Shutdown Ikeja Computer Village for Three Days, Articles - THISDAY LIVE. thisdaylive.com. 26 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150630023742/http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/traders-threaten-to-shutdown-ikeja-computer-village-for-three-days/183572/. 30 June 2015. dead.
  15. Web site: 419 Reasons to Like Nigeria and Nigerians - Finale - Chika Uwazie. Peter J Reilly. 5 September 2011. Forbes. 26 June 2015.
  16. Web site: Goodbye to Ikeja Computer Village. Vanguard News. 23 February 2013 . 26 June 2015.
  17. Web site: Computer Village on its way to Kotangowa. The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper. 26 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20130226133932/http://www.punchng.com/feature/lagos-pulse/computer-village-on-its-way-to-kotangowa/. 26 February 2013. dead.
  18. Web site: Belgium based Nigeria lady arrested for duping. Vanguard News. 3 October 2009 . 26 June 2015.
  19. Web site: eKnowvate develops online platform for Computer Village. The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper. 26 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150627072848/http://www.punchng.com/business/technology/eknowvate-develops-online-platform-for-computer-village/. 27 June 2015. dead.

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