E-Business
How Brands Can Stop Product Fraudsters in Today’s Counterfeit Economy
By Emmanuel Asika
Brands all over the world have a big problem on their hands – dealing with the ugly menace of counterfeit products that are continually flooding the marketplace which are undermining original equipment manufacturers’ (OEM) products.
Emmanuel Asika
The activities of these criminals, worsening by the day, undeniably affect the revenue of brands. But more worrisome for these brands, is the issue of lost consumer trust.
In instances, they have been misled into believing that they were buying the original product, only for the product to break down or develop a fault sooner than expected.
In Nigeria, for instance, counterfeiting remains a concern for brands, especially for those in the pharmaceutical industry, with 13% – 15% of drugs in the country said to be fake, according to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
As of January 2022, the prevalence rate of fake drugs was reportedly higher than the global average of 10% and contributes to a sizable number of deaths annually. In one report, NAFDAC’s director of investigation and enforcement directorate, Kingsley Ejiofor, stated that the agency had seized 2 trillion-naira ($4.8 billion) worth of counterfeit drugs in the past three years.
Aside from pharmaceutical products, other prominent counterfeit items found in Nigeria are: food items, footwear, clothing, leather goods, automotive parts, optical media (CDs and DVDs), cosmetics, alcohol, and jewellery.
The Covid-19 pandemic has also shifted the landscape somewhat, with a greater number of people resorting to online shopping. Unfortunately, as brands embraced e-commerce, so did criminals.
Today, e-commerce platforms offer criminals the anonymity they need to sell products which they present as genuine goods. Where face-to-face retail offers consumers the opportunity to identify fake products at the point of sale, making those selling the products, liable for the products they sell.
With online sales, it becomes easy for illegitimate products to be passed off as original goods to global markets. As a result, brands like HP, renowned for producing print cartridges for customers around the world, must act fast to stop the spread of fake goods universally, both online and offline.
The biggest profit margins for these crooks lie in the commercial market, but they have also been targeting the consumer market. Understanding that consumers like a discount, something that is even more true with the rising cost of living, drives customers to look for cheaper deals. In the end, most of these consumers are tricked into buying counterfeits they thought were genuine.
E-commerce requires new tactics
At HP, our strategy for investigating fake products usually entails looking at the entire commercial and retail supply chain, beginning from physical locations to online platforms. This allows us to be able to trace from stores to a distributor, and upwards to the producer.
This strategy tactic has proven beneficial as we saw that between November 2020 and October 2021, HP seized 3.5 million fake print products, including completed goods and component parts, circulating in several regions including in EMEA, Asia Pacific and the Americas.
The growth of e-commerce means that we will need a wider set of tools, tactics and allies. A great percentage of fake-print products are traded in online marketplaces, and HP has been liaising with these platforms and other third-party groups to help spot counterfeit goods, confiscate them, and find their source.
For instance, HP usually carries out virtual Customer Delivery Inspections (CDIs) and Channel Partner Protection Audits (CPPAs). In FY21 alone, we conducted 1,191 CPPAs, representing an 11% increase on FY20.
These virtual checks and reviews have helped the HP Anti-Counterfeit and Fraud (ACF) team in finding and delisting over 224,000 illegitimate HP online offers globally; and we are doubling down, increasing the number of online delisting’s by 19% every year.
Additionally, HP continues to use dynamic security, which ensures chips within our products are kept updated with information that helps customers verify our product’s authenticity.
Why it is important
The anti-counterfeit war requires collaboration with several parties and joint efforts prove to be very effective. Recently, there has been stronger calls for collaboration amongst relevant stakeholders across all supply chains, to join the fight against counterfeit products in Nigeria.
Indeed, it is in everyone’s best interest to stop the use of counterfeit print products. For instance, HP printers work at their optimal levels when genuine print products are used rather than fake ones.
There are however bigger concerns – where fraudulent businesses are not concerned about the working conditions and welfare of their workers. Patronising genuine goods is an important way of supporting fair working conditions for workers around the world.
Buying original products also shows one’s commitment to protecting the environment. HP has created over 3.9 billion original HP ink and toner cartridges mainly from recycled plastic. Currently, more than 80% of Original HP ink cartridges and 100% of Original HP toner cartridges are made with recycled content.
With the HP Planet Partners, HP’s return and recycling programme, the company has recycled more than 875 million cartridges since the programme began nearly 30 years ago, with expansion to 68 countries around the globe. Patronising genuine products encourages these kinds of efforts and increases the number of sustainable cartridges in circulation.
For us at HP, we are encouraged and remain committed to halt the manufacturing of counterfeit products at source. We are also on a drive to educate consumers, the main victim in all this, about the need to report any fake products they come across.
It is a collective responsibility that involves all, from manufacturers all the way to the consumers themselves – to discourage the cycle of counterfeit goods and manipulative criminal activities. We encourage all HP customers to always look out for the holographic security label on their product box, scan the QR code to check if it’s a genuine or not– and report if it’s a counterfeit.
Emmanuel Asika is Country Head, HP Nigeria
E-Business
Paradigm Initiative Flags Rampant Data Leaks, Seeks Stronger Digital Rights Protection in Nigeria
Paradigm Initiative has released a report highlighting the state of digital rights and inclusion in Nigeria, raising serious concerns about the citizens’ data online.
In a media briefing held in Abuja, Nigeria, the organisation called for seriousness from the government in handling the matter, saying there has been a consistent data leak online for three years now, where data is available for sale cheaply.
In his address, ‘Gbenga Sesan, the organisation’s executive director, said: “The data security problem is serious. Data belonging to the President, Vice President, National Security Adviser, top military officials, ministers and other senior government officials are also available online to anyone who knows their full name and date of birth.”
He pointed out that as much as the country has made advancements in tech, digital rights such privacy, online protection, freedom of expression and access to information, are increasingly under threat in Nigeria, with the threats manifesting as arbitrary internet disruptions, weak enforcement of data protection, surveillance, and inconsistent digital policies, which continue to weaken citizens’ trust and hinder the country’s digital growth and potential.
‘Gbenga expressed gratitude to the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria, Ford Foundation, Luminate, Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, Mott Foundation, Open Society Foundations (OSF), International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Internet Society Foundation, for supporting the organisation’s cause at a time when non-profit organisations were facing challenges.
He highlighted Stemming the Tide of Abuse in Nigeria’s Digital Space (STANDS) Project as having been instrumental in delivering immense transformative change, positively influencing Nigeria’s digital rights landscape. The project has combined litigation, advocacy, evidence-building, and capacity strengthening to protect citizens, influence policy, and build durable systems.
One of the major outputs of the STANDS project is the Ikot Ekpene Declaration, a commitment document that provides guidance for judicial officers on integrating digital rights into their rulings and judicial practice. PIN has also trained law enforcement officers on digital security.
On her part Nnenna Paul-Ugochukwu, the organisation’s Chief Operating Officer, highlighted the organisation’s impact, and how it has transformed the lives of young Africans on the continent, developed reports, digital toolkits and produced award-winning short films. PIN, she added, also provides scholarships for students from Ajegunle, where the organisation started its operations from in Lagos, Nigeria.
Khadijah El-Usman, the Senior Officer Programmes, Anglophone West Africa shared highlights of the 2024 Nigeria Londa Report which evaluates the state of digital rights and inclusion while benchmarking them against the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information.
The Score Index measures the country’s performance against major human rights issues including Internet access and affordability, freedom of expression and protection against arbitrary arrests, data protection and privacy, content moderation, transparency and access to information, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies and inclusion of vulnerable groups including children and persons with disabilities.
“For Nigeria in 2024, this assessment is not just a research exercise. It directly reflects how over 200 million citizens experience their right to connect, speak, to be protected online and to participate in the digital economy,” Khadijah added.
Nigeria’s total score for 2024 was 36 out of 60, placing it at a moderately compliant level, reflecting both progress and setbacks.
Paradigm Initiative further stated that a considerable number of Nigerians are still battling internet affordability, connectivity, and skills barriers that limit meaningful online participation. As much as there have been advancements, much more needs to be done as the most affected are individuals in rural areas, women, and persons with disabilities, who often face issues related to affordability, access, and digital literacy.
Federal government has announced its plans to achieve 95 per cent digital literacy among Nigerians by 2030, with a specific target of training and empowering at least 30 million citizens by 2027.
The announcement was made on Thursday at the grand finale of the Digital for All Challenge 2.0, an initiative of Tech4Dev funded by the UK Government’s Digital Access Programme and implemented in partnership with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Kashifu Abdullahi, director-general, NITDA, represented by Aristotle Onumo, director of Stakeholder Management at the agency, said that over 30 million Nigerians, particularly in rural areas, are being targeted for training, with digital champions deployed nationwide to facilitate the programme.
“We are integrating digital literacy into school curricula nationwide, from primary to university level, and partnering with the Head of Civil Service to make digital skills a requirement for civil service progression,” Onumo said.
He added that NITDA aims to achieve 70 percent digital literacy by 2027 as a foundation for reaching 95 percent by 2030.
Onumo called on stakeholders to work together, stressing that digital literacy is for everyone — the young, the old, the employed, job seekers, traders, civil servants, and others.
In her welcome remarks, Mrs. Oladiwura Oladepo, Co-Founder of Tech4Dev, described the initiative as a national movement to deepen digital knowledge and inclusion across all levels of society.
She noted that the programme has already impacted over one million Nigerians drawn from all six geopolitical zones.
Oladepo said the Digital for All Challenge 2.0 is not just a competition but a movement to unlock opportunities and close the digital divide for individuals, families, and the nation.
Representing the British High Commission, Mr. Idongesit Udo, Digital Access Programme Adviser, praised the initiative for creating opportunities for young Nigerians to compete globally, enabling civil servants to deliver better services, and helping children begin their digital journey early.
He highlighted the UK’s broader partnership with Nigeria, which includes initiatives in cybersecurity (Africa Cyber Programme), standardization (British Standards Institute), and entrepreneurship (UK-Nigeria Tech Hub), all aimed at fostering a thriving digital economy.
At the event, participants from all six geopolitical zones competed in various categories.
The first prize winner, Miracle Michael, received N15 million. The second prize went to Chinedu Arisa, who received N12.5 million, while Ismail Adam and Uluchi Chibueze received N10 million and N7.5 million respectively.
Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, minister of State for Labour and Employment, who presented the awards, commended the initiative for equipping Nigerian youth with future-ready skills.
She emphasised that digital literacy is vital not only for job creation but also for national development, and encouraged more young people to take part in programmes of this nature.
Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has issued an urgent security advisory, warning Nigerians of critical vulnerabilities in Google Chrome that could expose users to severe cyber threats.
The alert, posted on the Commission’s official X handle, underscores the risks of these flaws and calls for immediate action to safeguard personal devices and data.
According to the NDPC, the vulnerabilities could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on a user’s system, potentially granting unauthorised access to computers.
This could enable cybercriminals to install malicious programs, view, alter, or delete sensitive data, and even create new user accounts with full administrative rights.
Such breaches could disrupt device functionality, compromise personal information, and lead to significant loss of control over affected systems.
“Multiple vulnerabilities have been discovered in Google Chrome. The most severe of these could allow an attacker to take over a user’s system,” the NDPC stated, emphasising the urgency of addressing the issue.
To mitigate these risks, the Commission has advised Chrome users to apply the latest browser updates immediately.
It also recommends operating devices with standard user rights instead of administrative privileges to limit potential damage. Additionally, the NDPC urged Nigerians to exercise caution by avoiding suspicious links, unsolicited attachments, and untrusted websites.
The advisory comes as part of Nigeria’s broader efforts to strengthen data protection.
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