WIPO opens first Sub-Saharan Africa office in Nigeria
Nigeria has strengthened its position as a leading innovation hub in Africa following the launch of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Office in Abuja, the first WIPO office established in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The office was officially inaugurated at the United Nations House in Abuja, followed by a high-level roundtable on accelerating Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem and expanding the role of intellectual property (IP) in economic development.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, said the Federal Government remains committed to using innovation, intellectual property and commercialization as catalysts for economic growth, job creation and global competitiveness.
“The establishment of WIPO’s first Sub-Saharan Africa office in Nigeria reflects growing international confidence in our creative, technology, manufacturing and innovation sectors,” Oduwole said.
She noted that Nigeria has moved beyond policy formulation to implementation through the National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy, working with government agencies, private sector stakeholders and international partners to strengthen the country’s innovation landscape.
According to the minister, the new office will provide opportunities for capacity building, financing, training and stronger intellectual property protection for Nigerian innovators and businesses.
Director General of WIPO, Daren Tang, described Nigeria as one of the world’s fastest-rising centres of creativity and innovation.
“Nigeria’s globally recognised music and film industries, together with its rapidly expanding ecosystem of more than 3,000 technology startups, demonstrate the country’s enormous innovation potential,” Tang said.
