The United States Government has reiterated the importance of protecting and enforcing intellectual property rights, IPR, as a strategic resource for bolstering economic growth in Nigeria.
In commemoration of this year’s World Intellectual Property Day, the US Mission in collaboration with the American Business Council, hosted the second edition of its Intellectual Property (IP) symposium themed: ‘Intellectual Property and Youth: Innovating for a Better Future’.
The two-day symposium, led by the United States Department of Justice’s INL-funded Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT)’s International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Attorney-Adviser (ICHIP), brought together key stakeholders in Nigeria’s IPR protection framework, including leading entertainment and creative industry leaders.
US Ambassador, Mary Beth Leonard, during her remarks at the symposium stated that the protection of intellectual property rights is critical for any economy that wants to foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.
She further noted that strong intellectual property rights protection is essential to creating jobs and opening new markets for goods and services. The envoy then encouraged stakeholders in the intellectual property space to shore up Nigeria’s IPR legal framework and lay a solid foundation for youth to drive innovation and engender a more prosperous Nigeria.
“Nigerian youth are an incredible source of ingenuity and creativity. A strong system of intellectual property rights assures inventors, industrial designers, musicians, and artists alike that their creative content will be protected and valued,” Ambassador Leonard said.
The symposium featured a plenary session, thematic panel discussions, and exhibitions with a particular focus on Nigeria’s burgeoning entertainment and creative industries. Participants discussed how intellectual property rights could support their goals, help transform ideas into reality, generate income, create jobs, and make a positive impact.