Regulators want public, private partnership to curb piracy

To combat counterfeiting and piracy in Nigeria, regulators have advocated synergy between the public and private sector in the country.

They noted that a strong intellectual property regime would boost Nigeria’s investment climate, which would enhance economic growth.

This was disclosed at a symposium organised by the United States with the theme, “The Bane of Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals and Piracy: Building Respect for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) as a Strategic Resource for Economic Growth,” in Lagos yesterday.

Speaking at the event, Attorney Adviser, Sub-Sahara Africa, United States Department of Justice, International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP), Tanya Hill, explained that IPR protection provides incentives to invent, create and protect innovators from unauthorised copying, support startups liquidity and growth, among others.

Director-General, (DG) Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), John Asien, said people have died and others have taken loans without recovering them, while the nation has lost billions of dollars to piracy.
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