The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has advocated for enhanced funding to research establishments to accelerate the growth of the intellectual property (IP) system in Nigeria.
The call was made by the acting director-general of NOTAP, Dr. Idoreyin Imiyoho, represented by the director of technology acquisition and research coordination at NOTAP, Mrs. Caroline Anie-Osuagwu during a one-day training workshop on intellectual property (IP) and related issues in Sokoto for the north-western zone of the country.
Imiyoho emphasised the need for increased funding, stating, “The global emphasis on economic sustainability has shifted from resource-based to knowledge-based economies. In line with the renewed agenda of the present administration, Nigeria aims to transition from a consumption-based to a production-based economy.”
Explaining NOTAP’s role, Imiyoho highlighted that the office regulates the inflow of foreign technology into the country while also encouraging the efficient development of locally motivated technologies. She stressed the importance of creating awareness about intellectual property within the national system of innovation (NSI).
She further urged Nigerian knowledge institutions to engage in demand-driven research to produce products and services, emphasising the financial benefits of patenting inventions. NOTAP has established 66 intellectual property and technology transfer offices (IPTTOs) in Nigerian knowledge establishments to facilitate the growth of intellectual property in the country.
In her paper titled “Intellectual Property Asset Management,” Anie-Osuagwu underscored the significance of proper patent management. She defined intellectual properties (IP) as “products of human intellect or creativity, including drawings, photography, write-ups, paintings, inventions and innovations”. She stressed the need for researchers to protect their intellectual properties to prevent violations or theft by other researchers.
Patents, she explained, grant legal rights to IP owners for the financial exploitation of inventions or innovations for a specified period, typically 20 years. Anie-Osuagwu noted that prior to NOTAP’s intervention, many Nigerian researchers had lost their research results to the western world due to a lack of knowledge about patenting. She emphasised that patents prevent other researchers from infringing on or violating one’s research results.
Encouraging Nigerian researchers to patent their inventions, she highlighted the potential financial breakthroughs hidden in their research undertakings. The training workshop, featuring five technical paper presentations, attracted over forty participants and IP stakeholders.
Overall, NOTAP’s advocacy for increased funding and awareness about intellectual property rights is crucial for fostering innovation, protecting local research efforts and driving economic growth in Nigeria.
