WIPO okays Nigerian NGO as observer

The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), an organ of the United Nations (UN), has officially approved the Friends of the Creators Artistic Foundation (FCF) as one of its permanent observers.

FCF is a Nigerian non-governmental organisation (NGO), co-founded by Dr. Ogaga Ifowodo and Mr. Rockson Igelige in 2017, with headquarters in Oleh, Isoko South Council of Delta State.

According to an October 21, 2019 letter signed by WIPO’s Director-General, Francis Gurry, “FCF is now included in the list of national non-governmental organisations that are invited to attend the meetings of Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO and of the Unions administered by WIPO, as an observer, in accordance with applicable principles.”

This is the first time that a Nigerian NGO is accorded a permanent observer status by WIPO, which was created in 1967 “to encourage creative activity and promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world.”

With headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, WIPO has 192 member states and administers 26 international treaties.