Director-General of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Dr Obiageli Amadiobi, has reminded inventors and patent holders that intellectual property rights expire after 20 years, after which the invention goes into the public domain and could be exploited by any person or user.

She also warned that Nigeria’s failure to develop its technical manpower to attract and domesticate foreign technology will make it difficult for the country to tackle hunger and insecurity.

Amadiobi stated this on Thursday in Abuja at a press briefing to commemorate the African Day for Technology and Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) with the theme: “Leveraging Technology and IPRs to Drive the Renewed Hope Agenda.”

She said, “To properly understand the concept, Intellectual Property is the creative works of the mind, literary and artistic works belonging to a creator and can only be transferred or sold with the permission of the innovator. It can also be any innovation, commercial, artistic, symbol, logo, or design used for commercial purposes. However, this right that can also be transferred is not without limitations as the creator or the owner of the right can only enjoy it solely for the period of 20 years in the case of patents, after which the invention goes into the public domain and could be exploited by any person or user.

“Technology and Intellectual Property Rights systems have long been recognized to be among the foremost important factors in nation-building and wealth creation. Ideas and knowledge are increasingly becoming veritable instruments in international trade relations as codified in the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property under the World Trade Organisation agreement to which Nigeria has been a signatory since January 1, 1995.”

According to her, no nation of the earth can develop without an adequate deployment of science, technology, and innovation, especially indigenous technologies.

The director-general added that the absorption of new technology has become a veritable component for companies to survive and increase their competitiveness in the marketplace.

She said the commemoration of African Day for Technology and Intellectual Property Rights seeks to arouse the latent creativity and inventive spirit of young inventors and innovators to spur the development of indigenous inventive solutions.

She said, “For a nation-state, technology is used as a tool to enhance global competitiveness.

“Nations are no longer valued in terms of their population, geographical landmass, or mineral resources but on the organic mass of knowledge in its citizenry translated into viable R&D outputs, highly valuable IPRs, and commercialised products.

“Unless Nigeria develops the technical manpower to attract and domesticate foreign technology in various facets of socioeconomic activities, it may be difficult for it to meet up with the challenges of unemployment, hunger, poverty, accelerated climate change, scarcity of resources, increased pressure on the environment, youth restiveness, and insecurity.”

She said the Federal Government has, through NOTAP and the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, demonstrated its determination to promote indigenous technologies through the encouragement of entrepreneurs, researchers, and inventors in the protection of their intellectual property.

Amadiobi further stressed that with the increasing importance of knowledge as the main engine of growth in this digital era, the decision of African leaders to declare a day for the commemoration of the role of technology and intellectual property in achieving sustainable development in the African continent is a positive stride.