Director General, World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), Daren Tang (left) with Vice President Kashim Shettima during Daren’s visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, yesterday.
Nigeria and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) have agreed to deepen collaboration aimed at transforming the country’s vast pool of creativity, innovation and research into commercially viable assets capable of driving economic growth, attracting investment and creating jobs.
The commitment was made yesterday during a meeting between Vice President Kashim Shettima, WIPO Director-General Daren Tang and senior government officials at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
At the centre of the discussions was a shared determination to strengthen Nigeria’s intellectual property ecosystem, commercialise research outputs from universities and research institutions, and provide stronger support for the nation’s rapidly growing creative and technology sectors.
The meeting also coincided with WIPO’s decision to establish its first office in Sub-Saharan Africa in Abuja, a development Nigerian officials described as a vote of confidence in the country’s innovation potential and economic future.
Speaking during the meeting, Vice President Shettima said the administration of President Bola Tinubu is laying the foundation for an economy where ideas, innovation and creativity are protected and translated into wealth.
According to him, the government is building an intellectual property framework that works for inventors, entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, artists, industrialists, farmers and technology innovators alike.
“We are building a nation where innovation is protected, where disputes are resolved with confidence, and where intellectual assets can be converted into wealth,” the Vice President said.
The Vice President directed the Ministries of Justice, Industry, Trade and Investment, and Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy to develop a roadmap for deeper engagement with the Geneva-based organisation.
For his part, WIPO Director-General Daren Tang said the organisation was committed to supporting Nigeria’s journey towards greater prosperity through innovation and intellectual property development.
Tang said his visit was anchored on two significant milestones: the opening of WIPO’s Abuja office, the first in Sub-Saharan Africa and one of only seven globally, and the launch of Nigeria’s National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy.
According to him, the decision to establish the office in Nigeria reflects WIPO’s confidence in the country’s growing influence in the global innovation economy.
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