A recent video making the rounds online has sparked outrage after showing men allegedly printing the LG logo on fake television sets before releasing them into the Nigerian market. According to information circulating with the footage, these televisions are cheap units imported from China, which are then rebranded locally with counterfeit LG labels and sold as original products to unsuspecting buyers.
The activity is said to be taking place around Alaba International Market, a major electronics hub in Lagos that has long been associated with both legitimate trade and counterfeit goods. Social media users reacting to the video expressed anger and frustration, with many saying this practice has gone on for years in plain sight.
One Nigerian shared a personal experience that mirrors what the video appears to confirm. A few years ago, his friend traveled to his hometown for Ileya celebrations and noticed LG televisions being sold at prices ₦50,000 to ₦60,000 cheaper than what was obtainable in Lagos. He warned his friend that the prices were suspicious and that the TVs were likely Chinese clones rebranded as LG.
The warning was ignored.
Because he had an ongoing project in Lagos, the friend bought several units. Trouble started almost immediately. The very first time one of the TVs was powered on, smoke came out. Alarmed, he took the television to an official LG office, where staff confirmed his fears: the TV was not an LG product at all, but a cloned unit designed to look original.
What followed was a major dispute between him and the dealer.
This experience is far from isolated. Industry insiders and consumers alike say a large percentage of televisions in Nigerian households, especially popular brands like LG and Hisense, are not original despite being sold in shops painted with brand colors and presented as official outlets. Rogue traders reportedly import imitation TVs, repackage them, and sell them as genuine products at prices that still appear like “good deals.”
Beyond the fraud itself, many Nigerians are asking a deeper question:
Why can’t these same traders channel their resources into building a genuine Made-in-Nigeria brand?
The supply chains, networks, and market access already exist. Companies like Innoson may not be fully there yet, but they show that gradual progress is possible. Instead of endless rebranding, refurbishing, and counterfeiting, why can’t local players manufacture competitively and build trust?
For a country constantly pushing the message of “consumption to production,” this situation raises uncomfortable questions.
Ultimately, who should Nigerians blame? the people, or the government that allows this to happen in broad daylight? These fake televisions are not manufactured in Nigeria; they all come in through Lagos ports. Isn’t Customs responsible for inspecting containers? Is 100 percent inspection unrealistic, or is enforcement simply weak?
Whenever such issues are raised, critics are often accused of “demarketing Nigeria.” But for many Nigerians, the real damage comes from allowing consumers to be defrauded repeatedly, with little accountability.
For now, the viral video has reignited a conversation many believe Nigeria has been avoiding for far too long.
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