Your property rights end after 20 years, NOTAP reminds inventors 

Director-General, National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Dr Obiageli Amadiobi, has reminded inventors and patent holders that intellectual property rights expire after 20 years after which the invention goes into the public domain and could be exploited by any person or user.
  
She also warned that Nigeria’s failure to develop its technical manpower to attract and domesticate foreign technology will make it difficult for the country to tackle hunger and insecurity.
  
Amadiobi stated this, yesterday in Abuja at a press conference to commemorate the African Day for Technology and Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), with the theme, “Leveraging Technology and IPRs to Drive the Renewed Hope Agenda”.
  
She said: “To properly understand the concept, intellectual property is the creative works of the mind, literary and artistic works belonging to a creator and can only be transferred or sold with the permission of the innovator. It can also be any innovation, commercial, artistic, symbol, logo, or design used for commercial purposes. However, this right that can also be transferred is not without limitations as the creator or the owner of the right can only enjoy it solely for 20 years in the case of patents, after which the invention goes into the public domain and could be exploited by any person or user.

“Technology and Intellectual Property Rights systems have long been recognised to be among the foremost important factors in nation-building and wealth creation. Ideas and knowledge are increasingly becoming veritable instruments in international trade relations as codified in the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property under the World Trade Organisation agreement to which Nigeria has been a signatory since January 1, 1995.”