Kano Phone Traders Reportedly Chase Chinese Nationals from Market Over Price Competition

 

Phone traders in Kano have reportedly begun driving Chinese nationals out of a local market, accusing them of undercutting prices by selling mobile phones directly to customers, according to a post published Friday by Nigerian news account Instablog9ja on X.

In a video circulating online and shared by the account, traders were heard issuing direct warnings. One said: “We don’t want to see any of you in this market or even in this area, we don’t want to see you.” Another declared: “We don’t want to see any china person coming to this market and doing business. We have our own organization and our own time.”

The report attributes the confrontation to concerns over competition. Local traders claim the Chinese operators sell phones at lower prices, bypassing traditional market structures. Instablog9ja noted that the full circumstances of the incident and any response from the Chinese nationals involved have not been independently confirmed.

The post quickly drew public reaction. Users debated whether the action protected local businesses or harmed consumers by limiting cheaper options.

Among the replies:

- @Pathfinder077 wrote: “So these people don’t want people to get phones at cheap prices? Soon we will blaming govt for everything.”

- @nigerinsider1 suggested: “Simple, Chinese should lunch and Advertise online platforms for it, let's see how they will Stop people from buying from Chinese.”

- @Abdul3996 commented: “Omo 😂 So because the Chinese people dey sell phones cheaper, some traders want chase them away? If their prices are cheaper, shouldn't that push other sellers to find ways to compete? At the end of the day, na the customers go suffer if people are chased away just for selling cheaper phones.”

- @JefeUkpe observed: “If its south Africans it is xenophobia.”

- @mastercuhr94 argued: “If you have done business in a big and competitive market before, you'll understand that the Chinese are very wrong. A Nigerian can't even do that in such market.”

The report has fueled wider discussion on foreign traders, market competition, and consumer access to affordable goods in northern Nigeria. No official statement from market authorities or Chinese representatives was included in the original post.