By Emeka Aginam

Participants at the just concluded Computer Village expo held recently in Lagos have said that the IT vendors must retool their businesses online to remain relevant in the new economy, Speaker after speaker at the three-day maiden Expo organized by Technology Times agreed that technology retailers in the market must leverage the online space so as to remain relevant in the new economy.

The trade exhibition attracted the attention of technology users, mobile consumers, business professionals, among others. Earlier in his remarks, Mr. Godfrey Nwosu, president of Phone and Allied Products Dealers Association (PAPDAN), said that statistics show that over 20 million phones are sold in the Computer Village, monthly.

More IT devices, according to him could be sold if the IT vendors leveraged technology tools in the present era. Also speaking, President of Nigeria Internet Registration Association, Revd Sunday Folayan said that if IT vendors in the market fail to embrace the internet they will eventually lose online presence.

Nodding in agreement, Mrs. Adenike Shittu, Managing Director and Chief executive officer of Mojoy Computers, said that, before now Computer Village was a toast of other West African markets, but the evolution of online retailers has led to decline of patronage on the customers, coupled with neglect by local authorities. She called on e-commerce retailers to see IT vendors in the market as credible partners in the computer and electronics distribution chain, as they ready to rebrand for better business operations through online means.

Also, Mrs. Edith Udeagu, chief operating officer, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), urged the traders to embrace .ng domain name as a process of rebranding and projecting themselves on the internet.

Certified registrars

She said NiRA and certified registrars were ready to help the traders obtain their internet identity through .ng domain name registration and showcase their local contents as value creation capable of attracting foreign partners to the market.

Also, Ejovi Ekakitie, manager, Corporate Sales at Yudala said that the market traders must think outside the box and embrace e-commerce as the new phase of transactions. He said, instead of perceiving e-commerce as skewed against offline retailers, Computer village operators should seek measures to partner credible e-retailers like his platform-Yudala.