NCC, WIPO partner on capacity building on IP rights for judiciary

Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) in the thrust of its mandate to advance the growth of Creative Industry through strengthening of Institutional capacity has organized a train the trainers’ workshop for judicial training institutions in the country last month.

The capacity building training which was held at the National Judicial Institute, Jabi – Abuja in collaboration with the World Intellectual property Organization (WIPO) aims at equipping trainers with the necessary intellectual capacity to enhance the knowledge of Judges on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).

Delivering his keynote address, the Director-General, NCC, Mr. Afam Ezekude stated that the training will no doubt enhance the knowledge horizon of Judges on matters of Intellectual Property (IP) in Nigeria.

Mr. Ezekude while appreciating WIPO for nominating Nigeria as one of the benefiting Countries for this laudable training initiative noted that the training will have a lasting positive effect on the nation’s jurisprudence as regarding IP.

The training was held in furtherance of WIPO’s project on ‘Development and Intellectual Property Rights Education and Professional Trainings with Judicial Training Institutions in Developing and least Developed Countries’.

According to the Project Manager, WIPO Academy and representative of the DG WIPO, Mr. Mohammed Aderaouf Bdioui, Nigeria, Nepal, Costa Rica and Lebanon are pilot countries nominated in the quest to build capacity for efficient and effective national IPR education and training programme for judges.

The training workshop anchored by the NCC Director of Regulatory, Mr. Mike Akpan, focused extensively on IP topics like Copyright and Related Rights, Trademarks, Patent and Industrial Designs, Trade secrets and Geographical location.