Carter Efe accuses VDM of trying to ruin Igbo iPhone trade in fiery livestream
Nigerian streamer Carter Efe accused social commentator VeryDarkMan (VDM) of seeking to undermine Igbo traders' iPhone business during a Friday livestream reacting to VDM's plan to source the newly released iPhone 18 directly from China for sale in Nigeria. Carter Efe said VDM's move would provoke Igbo sellers, using inflammatory language that suggested VDM could face violence from traders. He also questioned why VDM, previously known for commentary not phone sales, was entering the market, claiming the action would spoil existing businesses. VDM had earlier posted a video from an Apple Store in China after the iPhone 18 launch, stating he wants to help Nigerians buy the devices at lower prices instead of paying inflated rates from local vendors. The exchange highlights tensions between informal importers and established local traders, reflecting broader concerns about ethnic competition in Nigeria's informal electronics market. As online personalities increasingly influence commerce, such disputes can shape consumer choices and trader livelihoods. What do you think about the balance between lowering prices for consumers and protecting local traders' livelihoods -- should informal importers be welcomed or regulated to avoid ethnic friction?