Nigeria Reaffirms Commitment to Intellectual Property Protection Ahead of WIPO DG Visit

By Ifeyinwa Ike

The Federal Government said it remains committed to protecting intellectual property as the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Daren Tang, prepares to visit Nigeria on June 1 for a three-day working trip.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Bianca Ojukwu stated this when she received the Director of WIPO Nigeria Office, Oluwatobilola Moody, and his team in Abuja, who briefed her on the agency’s activities and the planned visit.

She said WIPO plays a vital role in helping creators, innovators and entrepreneurs protect and promote their intellectual property across borders, adding that Nigerians must be better sensitized on the agency’s work.

Ojukwu also stressed the need for Nigeria’s creative industry to benefit fully from hosting WIPO’s office in Abuja, describing the country’s soft power in the sector as an important economic asset.

“You talked about Nigeria’s soft power in the creative industry; I expect that hosting the office here in Abuja means that there should be a whole lot of openings for young Nigerians,” she said.

The minister called for technical
assistance from WIPO to build local capacity and support the commercialisation of cultural heritage for economic gains.

Moody said Tang’s visit would include the official inauguration of the WIPO office in Abuja.

He explained that the organisation had widened its focus to make intellectual property more accessible to micro, small and medium enterprises, youths and women.

He added that WIPO’s current leadership is also working to adapt the global IP system to emerging technologies such as generative artificial intelligence while protecting human creativity.

Moody assured that Nigerian creatives and innovators would continue to benefit from WIPO programmes.