CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
A major challenge in to the Nigerian
economy is the development of successful domestic enterprises that
provide its people with needed products and thus contributes
significantly in economic development of the country. Nigeria has a
geographical importance in Africa through the potential of growth and
development, the abundant and everlasting natural resource, diversified
culture and trade unity with other African countries, American,
European, and Asian countries, that gives her an edge to float other
countries’ market with its products, but charity they say begins at
home; therefore, domestic products must valued and patronised in
domestic market.
It has been observed that Nigerians have
a negative attitude towards made in Nigeria products. The government in
its efforts toward patronizing Nigerian made products made Central Bank
of Nigeria (CBN) last year banned commercial banks from issuing dollar
for the importation of selected products were to develop the local
manufacturing sector, increase patronage of homemade goods and reduce
pressure on the naira.
As the pressure on the naira continued to
mount over the country’s excessive import bills and low forex receipts
from exports, the federal government intensified efforts to encourage
Nigerians to buy locally made goods. Individuals, organisations and
politicians including Senator Ben Murray Bruce and Senator Enyinnaya
Abaribe, stepped up the campaign on social media and exhibitions.
Government through monetary and fiscal
policies tries to dissuade consumption of foreign products in Nigeria.
These efforts make foreign goods more expensive than domestic ones. It
is also on the note that, domestic products now have an improvement on
the quality of goods that meets consumers’ needs in the country. The
drive was given a boast with the influxes of foreign direct investments
in the core production sector of the Nigerian economy. With these
developments, one would be thinking that the consumers’ desire for
foreign goods should be on the decrease. However, the trend seems
remains on change. For instance, the consumption of foreign rice and
textile products still remain high in Nigerian markets, despite the
improvement in both quantities and qualities of domestic rice and
textile products.
In a bid to encourage patronisation of
Nigerian products, some of the products being produce have now increased
in the standard and quality. The majority of cloth used now is produced
with cotton or synthetics woven into fabric in large textile mills.
Generally, consumers in Nigeria prefer foreign goods to made in Nigeria
goods, the case of textile materials follow the same trend. The foreign
textiles (Swiss-made, china made, Indian made, Korean made and Holland
made) have dominated the Nigerian textile market. Imported textiles are
of high quality and highly price. The majority of the middle and 12
upper class citizens use foreign textiles for their clothing. Nigerian
made textiles is patronized by the lower class citizens only due to its
lower cost and cannot afford the highly priced foreign textiles.
Recently the Nigerian Government banned imports of all printed fabrics
in order to protect its own ailing industry. The number of local textile
factories in Nigeria fell to just 40, a quarter of the number in the
mid 1980s. The government said it took the decision in order to protect
the market against dumping when exported goods are sold below their
normal value. This study therefore seeks to evaluate impact of foreign
goods on Nigerian consumers.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
A major problem that has bedevilled
Nigeria in her effort to develop her industrial sector is the apparent
preference by Nigerians for foreign made goods. The most immediate
manifestation of this problem is the seemingly intractable problem of
smuggling in the face of various attempts by governments of Nigeria to
curtail the indiscriminate importation of consumer goods. Some of the
major attempts to check this discrimination against locally made goods
include the ban on certain imports, the concerted promotional appeals to
Nigerians to patronize Nigerian made goods in radios and televisions.
No amount of patriotic
slogans about made in Nigeria goods has been able to correct this trait
in Nigerian consumers. It has persisted to the extent that many
retailers in Nigeria use the foreign tags or labels as a selling tool
especially in justifying high product prices. Discrimination by Nigerian
consumer is greatest in the textile industry. Nigerians, tend to ignore
locally made materials in preference for imported materials. This
negative attitude towards home made products contribute to the economic
development of advanced countries and relegate cultural heritage of the
country in various fields of arts to the background.
1.3 Research Questions
The following are some of the questions which this study intends to answer:
i) what the reasons for high preferences for foreign goods by Nigerian consumers?
ii) what the problems being faced by consumers in choosing between foreign and locally made products?
iii) what are the impact of the preference for foreign goods by Nigerian consumers on Nigerian economy?
1.4 Objectives of the Study
The main objective of this study is to
investigate the impact of foreign goods on Nigeria consumers. The
specific objectives and are to:
i) to identify the reasons for high preferences for foreign goods by Nigerian consumers
ii) to evaluate the problems being faced by consumers in choosing between foreign and locally made products
iii) to investigate the impact of the preference for foreign goods by Nigerian consumers on Nigerian economy
1.5 Research Hypothesis
The research hypotheses to be tested include:
i) Consumers do not show favorable behavior towards made in Nigeria goods
ii) Consumer’s perception of made-in-Nigeria goods influence their behaviour towards the products
1.6 Significance of the Study
The study revealed that the rate of
smuggling textile materials, into this country is alarming and the
foreign reserve of the country is being siphoned to foreign countries
and as result increasing their economic value and creating employment
opportunities for these countries and in return, increase unemployment
and poverty rate in our land. This research is necessary because it will
serve as a good reference material for future research and even to
Nigerian policy makers.
1.7 Scope of the Study
This study is limited to the impact of
foreign good on Nigeria consumers. Efforts were made to determine the
reasons for the preference in foreign goods other than the locally made
goods in Nigeria. The research will cover policy markers, students,
produces of locally made products in Nigeria.
1.8 Limitation of the study
The research work faced a lot of
challenges but two of the challenges were memorable. One of it is the
time constraint which limited the areas covered by the researcher.
Another one was that the researcher encountered a lot of difficulties in
gathering information, from many consumers as they took the researcher
to be a custom official or secret security intelligence agent.
1.9 Definitions of Terms
The following terms were used in the course of this study:
Foreign goods: a good brought into a jurisdiction, especially across a national border, from an external source.
Consumers: a person who purchases goods and services for personal use.
Preference: a greater liking for one alternative over another or others
REFERENCES
Dr. Rachael O. Folorunso, (2013). Consumers’ Buying Decisions of Foreign and Domestic
Products in Nigeria: An Analysis. European Journal of Business and Management.
Francis Arinze Iloani, (2016). Why Made-in-Nigeria Goods Suffer Low Patronage. Retrieved
on the 27th of July, 2017 from https://www.dailytrust.com.ng
SANI, Aminu Yusuf, (2005). An Evaluation of the Behaviour of Consumers Toward Made In
Nigeria Textile Materials (2001-2005)