Japanese multinational corporation, Canon Incorporation, has said electronic waste or management is a problem in Nigeria.
It however said it has developed startegise to manage the menace in the country. The original equipment manufacturer (OEM) said it is has short, medium and long-term strategies for the local market.
Canon specialises in the manufacture of imaging and optical products, including cameras, camcorders, photocopiers, steppers, computer printers and medical equipment.
According to experts, Nigeria generates over 1.1 million tons in e-waste from the consumption of local and imported electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) that have ceased to function.
The Sales and Marketing Director, Canon Central and North Africa, Mr Somesh Adukia, who spoke on the sidelines of the launch of its My Naija campaign in Lagos, he said the company has started a pilot programme in Cote d’Ivoire, adding that lessons learned from that would be replicated in Nigeria.
He said: “We are starting a pilot project in Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire) market and in this market; we are looking at how the various consumables stored up in cartridges, which had been used and are actually hurting the environment.
“So, we are trying to see how we can conserve them for the future and take care of the environment. It is a pilot project started in Ivory Coast and upon its success; it would be extended to Nigeria and other markets.”
He said the firm has short-, medium- and long-term strategies for the local market, including strategies to boost job creation and transfer of knowledge to locals.
Adukia said: “The short term plan is to gain channel penetration because we feel we have good team and good set of distributors. The medium term plan is to grow beyond Lagos and expand into big cities, such as Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and so many other places. We already have two of our people in Abuja and Port Harcourt, but we are going to expand our operations in other cities.
“On a long-term basis, we want to build our brand awareness through this kind of campaign and that is why I said we are not going to have small boom and disappear and hence our campaign My Naija is going to last for at least a year.”
Adukia said there are many ways the company has helped in creating both direct and indirect jobs in the country.
“Directly, we first employed one person as the country’s manager as we opened our local office. As our business grew, we appointed six additional managers within one year. Thereafter, we appointed a local business development manager for developing the business. As our business is growing, we are employing a lot of Nigerians.
“There are a lot of jobs being created by Canon indirectly because more business means more jobs will be available in the market. We are doing a lot of marketing events and so the marketing agencies get business. I was in a road show in Computer Village and I was thrilled with the kind of promotions they were having through the agencies. They are not Canon workers but today they are getting jobs because Canon was doing this kind of marketing campaign.”
Adukia said the company plans to create employment opportunities and work in line with its corporate philosophy, which is living together for common goals.
He said the company has taken a big step towards combating its challenge of brand awareness through the My Naija launched in Lagos.
According to him, the company has been able to combat the challenges of distribution alignment and service network in the last two years, adding that the objectives of the company is to provide Nigerians the source of products.
