06 October 2015, Abuja – The Standards Organisation of Nigeria says it is working towards having Original Equipment Manufacturers site their manufacturing plants in the country in a bid to stop the sale of fake smartphones and other gadgets.
The SON stated this at the official introduction of Tecno Phantom 5 smartphone in Nigeria, saying after due assessments, the phone (Tecno Phantom 5) was a true representation of “what an authentic smartphone should be.”
It, however, warned that with the newly reviewed SON Act, counterfeiters of the Tecno Phantom 5 and other newly introduced smartphones or Information and Communications Technology devices risked jail sentence.
Speaking for the organisation, its Director of Laboratory Services, Mr. Louis Njoku, said, “The organisation will apprehend and jail makers and importers of fake products in the country unless they desist from the shameful act.
“We are pained by a lot of fake and substandard products, especially in the mobile phone sector. We are also pained that consumers are buying products which can only contribute negatively to their health.”
He added, “Initially, we were only able to bark without effective power to bite, but with the review of the SON Act, we can seize substandard goods, prosecute their owners and make sure they go to jail. Not like before when we had to go to a third party to prosecute.
“Today we are telling people to beware. We are now more than ever prepared to bark and bite effectively.”
Njoku, however, urged Tecno to begin to think of how to make phones in Nigeria, saying, “We know that from onset you have followed due process and that is why your growth here should not be a surprise to anybody, but you would reach the greatest heights in this country if you follow our advice.”
The Managing Director, Tecno Nigeria, Mr. Chidi Okonkwo, said that Tecno had tagged the Phantom 5 ‘The Next Tecno Phantom’. “With the tag, we are ready to make history in Africa as the leading smartphone manufacturer by a distance with the most precious creation and flagship which will definitely raise the standards very high,” he said.
Okonkwo said one Unique Selling Point of the Phantom 5 was that it came with a 5.5-inch full HD 1080pixel screen display and runs on the latest Android 5.1.1.
He said, “For the hardware, the Tecno Phantom 5 has a MediaTek processor, 32GB Internal memory and a 3GB RAM, which should make lagging a thing of the past and give the user a smooth experience even while multi-tasking.
“On its metallic back is a 13MP camera and a 360 degree fingerprint sensor just below the camera and an 8MP front camera for super sharp selfies.”
He added, “Tecno Phantom 5also supports 4G LTE connectivity and
an excellent non removable 3000mAh Li-Ion battery capacity to enable you to get the maximum use out of it.
“The processor is a MediaTek TFA9890 (64-bit), Mali- T720 GPU and accepts dual Micro Sims. It is available in two different gold and black colour variants.”
Meanwhile, Okonkwo said Tecno had seen impressive growth curve in business in the last decade, even as the company continued to expand reach in other markets.
“In Nigeria alone, our human capital has increased by approximately 200 per cent. This can also be seen as a testament to our strong resolve in becoming one of the Nigeria’s most influential brands by the next decade.
“Way back in 2007, Tecno Mobile proved that global best technology can be localised to solve market-specific problems, so when we launched T780-the first truly dual SIM phone in Nigeria, it was a success,” he said.
- Punch