Counterfeits in Nigeria cost Danfoss $2m
NIGERIA: Counterfeit Danfoss compressors in Nigeria are reported to be costing the Danish manufacturer as much as US$2m per year.
Speaking at a special Danfoss presentation in Lagos, Danfoss business development manager (Africa) Kolawole Omeyele described the number of counterfeits in the country as a serious problem.
He told BusinessDay that the activities of dealers in fake compressors was leading to huge losses for corporate brands like Coca Cola and Fan Milk, a leading West African manufacturer of frozen dairy products, who depend on original compressors for their businesses.
Of the 30 container loads of compressors imported into Nigeria each year, Kolawole Omeyele estimated that around half were counterfeit.
While the reports do not indicate where the Nigerian counterfeits originate, China has been the source of most counterfeits, and remains an enduring problem for many of the major refrigeration brands. The use of fake filters, driers, expansion valves and commercial compressors that cannot support irregular electricity voltage in Nigeria are one of the leading causes of damage to refrigeration equipment.
Kolawole Omeyele said Danfoss was providing the market with the right tools to identify the fakes and was endeavouring to educate installers on the consequences of using such products. He said they were also working with the Nigerian Association of Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Practitioners (NARAP) and the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to counter the problem.
Danfoss’ activities in Nigeria are handled from its Dubai office, which controls Africa, Turkey and the Middle East. Legitimate sales of Danfoss products are handled by its partners Satek Nigeria Limited and Tahir Niazi Stores in Dubai.
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