Lagos Traders Protest Chinese Nationals’ Involvement In Retail Business

Some traders in Lagos have protested against the alleged involvement of Chinese nationals in retail trading, accusing them of taking customers away from local businesses.

The traders staged the protest at some markets within the Lagos Trade Fair Complex along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, carrying placards with messages including, “Chinese must go” and “They should go far from our market environment and not be taking our customers.”

In videos from the protest shared on social media, the traders said they were opposed to Chinese nationals selling goods directly to customers instead of limiting their activities to wholesale trade.

One of the protesters alleged that Chinese nationals initially came to Nigeria as wholesalers but had gradually moved into retail, putting local traders at a disadvantage because of their financial capacity and direct access to goods from China.

The trader also accused them of using information from waybills to reach customers directly, thereby taking sales away from local retailers.

“If we send a waybill, they copy the customer’s number. We no longer make sales,” he said in Igbo.

He said Chinese traders were also able to offer lower prices because they imported goods directly from China.

“If you import goods, they slash their prices lower than our own and sell to our customers. Is this how we would continue?” he asked.

The protester, however, stressed that the demonstration was peaceful and that the traders had no intention of attacking Chinese nationals or destroying their shops, warehouses or other property.

“If any of us spoils anything here, the person will pay for it. We are not saying we are going to beat the Chinese or spoil their warehouse,” he said.

“What we are saying is that the personal relationship between us and the Chinese is important to us, but they should not do our business.

“They came and built warehouses, rented shops and are now selling as we do as retailers.”

The trader warned that the continued expansion of Chinese nationals into retail trading could make it difficult for local businesses to survive.

“If this continues, five years from now, your shop will be taken away from you,” he said.

The protest comes amid renewed concerns over the activities of foreign nationals in local markets and follows reports of attacks against foreign nationals and foreign-owned businesses in some African countries, particularly South Africa.

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