Protection of intellectual property ‘will create wealth for Nigeria’

The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has said adequate protection of intellectual property will create wealth for Nigeria and help in nation building.

The Director General of NOTAP, Dr. DanAzumi Mohammed Ibrahim, who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday said the development of intellectual property right system (IPRS) in the country would reawaken the creative ability of the people in the country to eradicate poverty and drive sustainable development.

“Ideas and knowledge are increasingly becoming veritable instruments in international trade relations as codified in the trade related aspect of intellectual property (TRIP) under the world trade Organization (WTO), agreements to which Nigeria is a signatory’’, Ibrahim said.

The NOTAP boss said in realisation of the importance of Intellectual Property (IP) Protection to national development, the federal government joined other African countries in celebrating the IP Day on Monday.

Ibrahim said the event was to arouse the latent creativity and inventive spirit of young inventor and innovators as IP is one of the ways through which rapid development of a nation can be achieved.

He further said NOTAP had in the past celebrated the day through technology exhibitions by secondary and vocational schools within and around FCT, young inventors and innovators as well as the Association of Nigerian Inventors (ANI).

He said young Nigerians have demonstrated high intellect and commitment to the development of National Innovation System (NIS)through their products.

The DG regretted that NOTAP had to shift the 2021 commemoration of African Day for Technology and Intellectual Property owing to the ravaging Covid-19 Pandemic coupled with advent of Delta Variant.

He stated that in a knowledge based economy and global business environment, absorption of new technologies had become a veritable component for companies to survive through maintaining their competitive positions in the market place.

He said: “Nations are no longer valued in terms of their population, geographical landmass or mineral resources but on the organic mass of knowledge in its citizenry”.

Ibrahim added that, “Unless Nigeria develops the technical manpower to attract and domesticate foreign technology for our daily operations; it may be difficult for the country to meet up with the challenges of unemployment, poverty, wealth creation and youth restiveness.’’

He said NOTAP was working seriously in collaboration with other stakeholders to ensure rapid technological development of the nation and will continue to do that because the development of the nation rests on all Nigerians.