By Joy Omagha Idam, Abuja
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the protection of intellectual property rights as the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization, Daren Tang, prepares for a three-day working visit to Nigeria beginning June 1, 2026.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made the commitment while receiving the Director of the WIPO Nigeria Office, Mr. Oluwatobilola Moody, and his delegation in Abuja ahead of the visit.
The minister noted that Nigeria remains dedicated to strengthening intellectual property protection to support innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship across the country. She described WIPO as a vital global institution that helps creators and innovators protect their ideas and bring them safely to the global market.
Tang’s visit is expected to culminate in the official inauguration of the WIPO Office in Abuja, the first and only WIPO office in Sub-Saharan Africa. The office serves as a regional hub supporting intellectual property administration and innovation across the continent.
Speaking during the meeting, Odumegwu-Ojukwu stressed the need for greater public awareness about intellectual property and the opportunities available to Nigerians through WIPO’s presence in the country. She highlighted Nigeria’s growing influence in the global creative industry and expressed optimism that the Abuja office would create more opportunities for young Nigerians.
“You talked about Nigeria’s soft power in the creative industry; I expect that hosting the office here in Abuja means there should be a whole lot of openings for young Nigerians,” the minister stated.
She also called for enhanced technical assistance programmes through the WIPO Nigeria Office to strengthen local capacity and support the commercialisation of Nigeria’s cultural heritage for economic development.
Nigeria currently enjoys WIPO’s support in modernising its intellectual property administration systems, particularly through the digitalisation of trademark and patent registries using the Industrial Property Automation System (IPAS), aimed at improving transparency and reducing processing timelines.
Earlier, Mr. Moody briefed the minister on the activities of the organisation and disclosed that the current leadership of WIPO is focused on making intellectual property more accessible to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), women, and young innovators.
According to him, the organisation is also adapting intellectual property systems to emerging technologies such as Generative Artificial Intelligence while ensuring that human creativity remains protected.
Moody assured that Nigerian creatives and innovators would continue to benefit from the organisation’s programmes and initiatives aimed at promoting innovation and economic growth.