The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has underscored the need for the protection and effective management of innovative technologies and knowledge-based assets developed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and other players in the country’s petrochemical sector.

Director-General of the NCC, Dr. John Asein, made this known at the opening ceremony of a five-day capacity-building workshop on Intellectual Property Law and Management for staff of NNPCL’s Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI) Department.

The workshop, held in Abuja, was organised by the Nigerian Copyright Academy (NCA)—the training arm of the NCC—in collaboration with the NNPC Academy.

Represented by the Director of NCA, Mrs. Funmi Adewale, Dr. Asein said NNPCL’s intellectual assets, including new technologies, research data, and proprietary software, are critical to its future growth and national development.

He emphasised the importance of securing the company’s intellectual property—such as patents, copyrights, and trade secrets—warning that neglecting these assets could have severe financial and reputational consequences.

According to him, “Protecting these knowledge-based assets is as crucial as protecting your physical infrastructure. You secure your pipelines, drilling rigs, and refineries because they are critical to your operations.

“In the same way, you must secure your patents for new fuel formulas, your software copyrights for data analysis tools, and your trade secrets for proprietary extraction processes.

“The risks of not doing so include financial loss, a weakened competitive position, and reputational damage, which are too great to ignore,” he stated.

Dr. Asein explained that the workshop was designed to equip NNPCL’s RTI staff with practical knowledge on managing the company’s intellectual property, mitigating risks associated with infringement, and developing strategies for sustainable IP management.

He described the collaboration as a vital step toward ensuring that NNPCL’s creative and innovative assets are effectively protected and utilized.

While assuring participants of the NCC’s commitment to supporting NNPCL in establishing a viable IP management system, Asein urged them to actively engage facilitators and ask questions, noting that they are “the guardians of NNPCL’s creativity and innovation.”

During the training, participants and NCC officials also reviewed a draft IP policy prepared by the Commission to provide a framework for managing NNPCL’s IP assets. The reviewed draft will be updated to reflect participants’ contributions before resubmission.

Speaking at the end of the workshop, NNPC Manager, License and Acquisition, Mrs. Mercy Ogbonna, commended the NCC for the knowledge shared with the RTI Department, expressing optimism that the collaboration would strengthen NNPCL’s capacity and contribute to the growth of Nigeria’s intellectual property ecosystem and economy.

Similarly, NNPCL Programme Coordinator, Mr. Haliru Adamu, praised the NCC team for their professionalism, describing them as “a pack of highly excellent professionals in coordination and delivery.”

The training covered topics such as: Introduction to Intellectual Property; Dispute Resolution and Enforcement; Patent and Trademark Management; Copyright Law and Management; Trade Secrets and Emerging Trends in IP; IP Management and Strategy; and Case Studies and Simulations.

Resource persons included Director PRS, Mr. Collins Nweke; Deputy Director and Head, Regulatory and Compliance, Mr. Kunle Olatunji; Assistant Chief Registrar, Commercial Law Department, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Temitope Ogunbanjo; Principal Partner, Boe Consult Legal Practitioners, Mr. Obi Ezeilo; Principal Partner, Alpha-Edge, Mr. Michael Akpan; and Partner and Head, Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Jackson, Etti & Edu, Mr. Obafemi Agaba, among others.

Highlights of the workshop included presentation sessions, question-and-answer segments, a review of the draft IP policy, and the adoption of the name “NNPC IP Pioneers” for the inaugural cohort.

Participants commended the NCC team for their depth of knowledge and professionalism, describing the training as a springboard for developing a robust IP management structure within NNPCL.