The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening the protection of intellectual property rights across the creative, innovative and commercial sectors.
She made the promise on Tuesday after receiving Mr Oluwatobilola Moody, Director of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Nigeria Office, and his team. The reception was held ahead of the official visit of WIPO Director-General Daren Tang to Nigeria.
In a statement issued by Dr Magnus Eze, the minister said the ministry is fully prepared to host the WIPO Director-General on June 1 and remains committed to deepening collaboration with the global IP body for national development.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu commended WIPO for enabling creators, innovators and entrepreneurs to protect and promote their intellectual property across borders and for serving as a global platform for addressing emerging IP challenges.
She stressed the need for increased public sensitisation in Nigeria so citizens understand the value and opportunities within intellectual property systems.
“Nigeria’s soft power in the creative industry should benefit maximally from the siting of the Agency’s office in Nigeria. You talked about Nigeria’s soft power in the creative industry; I expect that hosting the office in Abuja means there should be a whole lot of openings for young Nigerians,” she said.
The minister called for a technical assistance programme through the WIPO Nigeria Office to strengthen capacity building and support the commercialisation of cultural heritage for broader economic gains.
Earlier, Moody said the visiting WIPO Director-General would officially inaugurate the agency’s office in Abuja during the visit, describing it as a major milestone for Nigeria.
He said the organisation prioritises an inclusive approach aimed at making intellectual property more accessible to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), as well as youth and women across the country.
Moody added that Nigerian creatives and innovators will continue to benefit from WIPO programmes designed to support innovation, creativity and economic development.
He said the inauguration would make Nigeria the first and only WIPO office in Sub-Saharan Africa, enhancing digitalisation of trademarks and patent registration through the Industrial Property Automation System (IPAS).
