The Area Head,Litigation and IP,British American Tobacco, West Africa, Sola Dosunmu, has described piracy and other illicit trades, as a menace, capable of sounding the death knell of brands in any society.

Speaking at the Anti- Counterfeiting Collaboration (ACC) Walk, sponsored by the company alongside others in Lagos, recently, Dosunmu,  explained that the decision of the company to be a part of the walk was a way of demonstrating its support for initiatives that would put an end to all forms of illicit trade in the country.

He argued that besides being a  major disincentive to brand owners, the unwholesome act had also continued to deprive the government of revenue that would have accrued to it from these brands, while  also undermining the regulatory regimes of the government agencies.

“Illicit trade is a menace in Nigeria, not only for the tobacco industry, but for other industries and intellectual property owners.

“It harms brands, damages businesses, promotes criminality, misleads consumers into buying products of dubious quality and hampers efforts to block underage sales. It also deprives the Federal Government of revenue and undermines the regulatory regimes of the government agencies,” he stated.

He described the maiden edition of the Collaboration Walk, as a follow up to other initiatives, the company, in collaboration with others, had embarked upon in the past to sensitise the public on the evils of illicit trade.

Commending the organisers of the initiative, the Lagos Desk Officer, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mrs Mosunmola Samuel, described the activities of pirates and others involved in illegal trade as inimical to the nation’s economic growth.

She also used the occasion to assure stakeholders of the organisation’s readiness to lend its weight to initiatives that would checkmate such unwholesome practices.