Buying a phone or laptop in Lagos - new, "London used", and fakes

A phone in Lagos is your bank, your ID, your map and your office. Buying one is a bigger decision than it looks, and the market is full of devices that are not what they claim.

Where to buy

• Brand stores and authorised dealers sell new devices with a valid warranty. Dearest, safest.
• Online retailers with pay on delivery let you check the device before you hand over money.
• Computer Village, Ikeja, sells everything, new and used, at the best prices in the city, with the most risk. Go with someone who knows it.

Lagos markets

“UK used”, “London used”, “Tokunbo”

These mean a used device imported from abroad, and they are a large part of the market. A good one is a fair deal. A bad one is a refurbished device with a cheap replacement screen, a worn battery and a fake box. Some are not used at all, just old stock or clones.

Checks before you pay

• Check the IMEI. Dial *#06# and make sure the number matches the one on the box and in the settings. Mismatches mean a swapped board or a fake box.
• Check it is not locked or stolen. No one else’s account should be signed in. An iPhone must be signed out of the previous owner’s Apple ID; an Android of their Google account. A locked phone is a brick.
• Test everything: both cameras, the speaker and microphone on a call, charging, Wi-Fi, the fingerprint or face unlock, and your SIM in it.
• Check the battery health where the phone shows it.
• For a laptop, check the keyboard, the battery charge, the screen for dead pixels, and that the operating system is licensed.
• Get a receipt naming the device, the IMEI or serial number, the price and the shop.

Fakes and clones

Clones of popular phones look convincing in the box and fail within weeks. Check the model in the settings, the storage it actually has, and the operating system version. If the price is far below everyone else’s, you know why.

Stolen phones

A phone sold without its box, charger or receipt, cheap and in a hurry, may be stolen. Buying it risks losing it to a police check, and keeps the trade going.

When you lose your phone

Block the SIM with your network at once, change your banking passwords from another device, and report it. Your bank accounts and your NIN are tied to that number.

SIM cards and internet Replacing lost documents Scams in Lagos