As
Nigeria marks 19 years of democracy today after the return to civilian rule,
opinion is divided on how well the country has harnessed the dividends of democratic
governance.
While
a school of thought holds that the dark days of military dictatorship and
autocratic rule, which the return to democracy in 1999 put paid to, remains a
high point worth celebrating; there is a contrary view in many quarters that,
in spite of the switch from jack-boots to civilian attire, Nigeria remains mired
in a seemingly unending struggle to enthrone the values of true and
all-inclusive democracy.
On
May 29th 1999, Nigerians had witnessed a momentous change of guard; one which
finally saw the country shed its well-worn toga of a pariah state when Chief
Olusegun Obasanjo took office as President of Nigeria, the first elected and civilian
head of state following 16 long years of military rule.
Nineteen
years after, the jury is still out on whether our nascent democracy is
thriving…
One
area in which a sense of democracy has thrived and continues to thrive, however,
is the Nigerian e-commerce sector.
For
long regarded as a potential cash-cow, e-commerce in Nigeria has seen the
influx of a number of entrants or players, foreign and local, all of whom
capitalized on the freedom and democratization of access to take roots, spread
their tentacles and attempt to reap the windfall from an industry that has been
severally predicted to explode.
And
why not?
With
a booming youthful population, growing internet access and an aspirational
mindset among the majority of its populace, e-commerce in Nigeria is widely
regarded as the next big thing; an industry that could transform even the most
hopeless start-up to a multi-million-dollar company in a couple of years.
Experience,
nevertheless, tells a different tale.
A
tale of false starts, of shattered dreams, of the untold stories of many who
came, saw and quietly exited the scene.
The
Nigerian business terrain, democratic though it may be, is a tough one to
successfully navigate. Aside the near-absence of any form of government support
for the technology sector, in which e-commerce is firmly situated, start-ups in
this industry face a herculean battle to stay afloat. It is a battle akin to
swimming against a strong tide.
In
addition to being a cost-intensive venture, cracking e-commerce in Nigeria
requires a large dose of local knowledge; not only of the peculiar business
terrain but also of the cultural nuances and predilections that shape the
shopping behavior of the average Nigerian.
One
of these shopping traits is the uncompromising desire of every Nigerian for
genuine quality.
You
may claim to offer the best prices unmatched anywhere else but as long as the
item or product in question is fake or sourced from a grey channel, you had
better not waste that marketing budget.
Here
in Nigeria, e-commerce is democracy; a democratic rule governed by offering the
average shopper a range of shopping platforms, online and offline; a
multiplicity of payment options: cash, online payment, e-wallet, etc. and
delivery solutions that guarantee no late delivery stories.
Above
all, you must provide access to genuine products and take responsibility for
it.
In
reality though, a pertinent question worth asking: how many e-commerce
companies in Nigeria can claim absolute responsibility for the quality of
products they carry? How many can trace the source of their items to the
Original Equipment Manufacturers? And how many can boast of owning warehouses
for stocking large volumes?
Perhaps,
only one stands out…
Recently,
smart Nigerians have begun pushing a movement to enthrone quality democracy in
their shopping activities; a democratic insistence on quality.
It
began like a whisper that started catching on in social circles and has now
gained currency among many.
ITRealms recalls that Konga Me, is a phrase that brings to life the determination of every Nigerian shopper to get
only the very best quality. Put in another way, Konga Me is a new universal language for genuine products only. It
is a term that has become popular, not only among young ones, but among adults
and trendy youths to differentiate quality products from fake ones sourced from
unreliable platforms.
Used
to refer quality-minded shoppers to Konga, the e-commerce giant that emerged
from the merger between Yudala and Konga after the latter’s acquisition by the
Zinox Group, Konga Me is also used to
request for quality gifts or favours from friends, family and associates.
As
Nigeria marks 19 years of democracy today, Tuesday May 29th 2018,
there is no better time to insist on quality product democracy… Indeed, no better time to Konga Me.
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