Want status in Nigeria? An informal iPhone market offers dreams and despair
Al JazeeraIn Computer Village in Lagos, resellers and repairmen spruce up old devices for those seeking the coveted status symbol of an iPhone. “But more complex repairs – like the iPhone’s True-Depth Face ID or battery replacements – have cost me time, money and plenty of batteries. “When you replace parts, the phone displays Apple’s “unknown parts” message, and some features, like battery health, stop working,” Dosumu explains. “Take it off, and the warranty’s void.” Finally, turning his attention to Alawada and James, Dosumu confirms the student’s initial fears: with the naira’s decline against the dollar, rising customs fees and the release of the latest iPhone, the 600,000 naira he had saved will not be enough for the iPhone 12. ‘I will own an iPhone’ With uncertainty behind him, Alawada leaves Dosumu’s shop with his pre-used iPhone – plus a charger Dosumu threw in for free – snug in his pocket.
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