Ministries collaborate to revalidate the intellectual property policy

The Ministry of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy, in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment and the Ministry of Justice, has joined forces to revalidate the intellectual property policy and strategy for Nigeria. This important initiative aims to ensure that Nigeria’s intellectual property framework aligns with international best practices and adequately protects the rights of creators and innovators.

The policy and strategy document, which was first adopted in 2022, has not yet been forwarded to the government for consideration. To address this, a strategic event was organised at the Bolton White Apartment in Abuja with the theme “Stakeholders Engagement Forum on the National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy.”

Speaking at the event, the Honourable Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy, Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa emphasised the importance of the policy in enhancing the overall value chain of the creative sector.

She urged the stakeholders and the intergovernmental committee to work efficiently and meticulously to ensure that the document is ready for launch within a week.

She stated: “I encourage everyone to participate fully and passionately in today’s deliberations and the processes over the coming week, as we work collectively, Government and private sector, to establish a much-needed national position on the protection of Nigerian ideation, culture, arts and knowhow embodied in an Intellectual Property Policy. I do hope it will be launched in a week.

“The protection of intellectual property is essential for empowering our creators, safeguarding our cultural heritage, and driving innovation across every sector. Together, we can build a framework that not only protects but also nurtures the unique expressions of our people, ensuring they flourish both locally and on the global stage. This forum marks the beginning of a collective journey to establish a robust Intellectual Property Policy that reflects the spirit of Nigeria’s ingenuity, creativity, and potential.”

Furthermore, in her welcome address, the Honourable Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite disclosed that the collaboration led to the formulation of two committees.

She also noted that the initial laws governing intellectual property in Nigeria are outdated and need to be updated to meet global standards.

“I and the Honourable Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy constituted two committees to re-evaluate the draft IP policy document in May 2024. These are: – the Steering Committee co-chaired by both of us, the two Ministers and an Inter-Ministerial Review Committee drawn from 11 relevant MDAs, chaired by the Director Policy, Planning, Research and Statistics of my Ministry. Their mandate was to review the draft policy document and incorporate emerging issues that might have occurred in the IP domain after the last review.

“There are concerns that some of the laws governing intellectual property protection in Nigeria, such as the Trademark Act and the Patent and Design Act are outdated, dating back to the colonial era. The Ministry under my leadership is aware of these limitations and is taking necessary steps to review these outdated laws. We are dedicated to carrying out these reviews within the shortest possible time,” she said.