Technology firm Hewlett Packard (HP) plans to step up the battle against grey and fake HP products in the English West African region.
While grey and fake computers is a global issue, Africa is an area where organized fake and grey markets are rampant,  prompting Hewlett Packard and Microsoft to develop a comprehensive defense strategy to alert consumers about the dangers of partaking in the purchase of grey and fake products.
“Grey Market is the illegal selling of HP products where the company did not intend to sell them. Due to the extremely high level of consumers that buy from the grey & fake market, this costs Nigeria the loss of job opportunities, foreign direct investment in businesses as well as a loss of research and development funding,” says Chioma Iwuchukwu – Nweke, Personal Systems Group (PSG) General Manager of the English West African region.
According to Akunna Abadom, Marketing Manager Personal Systems Group (PSG), “HP is launching an all out campaign against the grey & fake market. The campaign will include a consistent rotation of advertorials, press briefings /releases and radio advertisement on educating consumers in the English West African region. The objective of this campaign is to enhance awareness on the acceptable means of purchasing HP computers. A successful execution of this much needed initiative will result in a direct reduction in consumers patronizing unauthorized sellers of unauthentic HP products in the region. HP also is in the process of training their preferred distributors, retailers and partners on the importance of selling authentic HP products. This awareness is meant to further enhance HP’s message to the HP preferred partners (resellers) & consumers that HP cares about the consumer and the way HP products are being represented and sold in the English West African region.”
In addition to the grey and fake advertisements, HP has taken a further step to protect and insure the authenticity of their computers by developing an ultra sensitive certified security tag. HP computers and accessories purchased from the authorised channels will be clearly marked with this certified security tag in order to alert consumers that they are purchasing an authentic HP product. Purchasing from the HP authorized channel will insure consumers that the product being purchased is authentic and the product will receive all of the after sales services and support that it is entitled to.
In conjunction with HP’s campaign, Microsoft Nigeria is also joining in the fight against unauthentic products. Microsoft is currently driving several initiatives to curb software piracy in the Nigerian market. These initiatives are hinged on educating both end users and Microsoft partners on the value of using “Genuine Products”.
Early this year, Microsoft launched the Clean Dealer programme where partners went into an agreement to promote the sale of Genuine Software and committed to staying away from selling counterfeits.
“Microsoft is supporting such resellers by promoting them as primary sources for our software especially in the very popular Computer Village in Lagos” said Uzo Okpaka, Channel Compliance Manager, Microsoft Nigeria.
Microsoft is focusing on educating the end users by initiating a Certificate of Authenticity campaign which is currently running. The Certificate of Authenticity is a physical way of identifying if genuine software has been installed in a PC. It is a sticker that is visible underneath or on the PC as the case may be.
This year, Microsoft has trained over 800 partners on the value of genuine software and how to become trusted advisors to their customers.
The company is actively working to protect customers who have fallen victim of software pirates and who have reported such cases to Microsoft.  By working closely with the local enforcement agency Nigeria Copyright Commission it enables Microsoft to carry out legal actions against the perpetrators.
“In March we have gone a step further by opening an Information Centre in the Computer Village at Ikeja that will give customers and partners, access to information on where to buy “Genuine Products” from, also serve as a training centre for our partners who are located in the village” said Uzo Okpaka’s
HP Nigeria is also working hand and hand with law enforcement authorities to identify and seize counterfeit products, cut off distribution routes and prosecute fraudsters. Globally from 2005-2008 HP conducted 4620 investigations in 55 countries resulting in 3,528 enforcement actions (raids and seizures by authorities) seizing a total value of more than $795 million USD worth of counterfeit HP supplies products. 
With the complete cooperation and support of laws enforcement authorities, both HP and Microsoft are confident that these campaigns will be extremely successful, and will result in a significant reduction in grey/fake/piracy activities in the region.