Promoting and Protecting Intellectual Property in Nigeria

The results of the report reveal that Nigeria has increasingly become a target destination and significant transit route for counterfeit and pirated products. The report calls for more government attention to these issues at the national, state and local levels. The report’s comprehensive recommendations ranges from legal reforms to technical assistance and capacity-building measures, channels for international cooperation and tools for strengthening enforcement practices.

The report was released on 15 July 2015 during the Anadach workshop entitled ‘The Dynamic Dole of Intellectual Property in Promoting Innovation and Economic Development in Emerging Markets’ in Lagos, Nigeria. The report received valuable input, support and endorsement from ICC Nigeria, including from key local partners like the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC),the African Intellectual Property Group (AIPG) and the Intellectual Property Law Association of Nigeria (IPLAN).

Key recommendations

Legislative recommendations:

• Improve and expedite civil judicial enforcement procedure
• Strengthen IP legislation and ratify IP international agreements
• Improve action against Internet infringements
• Improve border enforcement
• Address deficiencies in criminal procedures

Policy Recommendations:

• Establish an inter-agency approach and enhance collaboration between the Nigerian regulatory agencies administering and enforcing IP rights
• Establish an inter-agency approach with private sector coordination
• Expand IP-related administrative and technical capacity building
• Increase public and political awareness of counterfeiting and piracy and the associated economic and social harms