By Victoria Onyisi
The Acting Director General of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Dr. Idoreyin Imiyoho, has advocated for more funding to research establishments for a speedy growth of the Intellectual Property (IP) system in the country.
The DG who represented by the Director, Technology Acquisition and Research Coordination (TARC) of NOTAP, Mrs. Caroline Anie-Osuagwu, at a one day training workshop on Intellectual Property (IP) and other related issues in Sokoto for the North-western zone of the Country.
She underscored that the training became expedient considering the fact that the global emphasis on economic sustainability has been shifted from resource to knowledge based economy.
The DG, added this is in alignment with the mantra of renewed agenda of the present administration, the nation is desirous of moving the Country from a consumption to production economy.
Imiyoho, reiterated that the Office was established to regulate the inflow of foreign technology into the Country but also has the responsibility of encouraging the efficient development of locally motivated technologies, hence the reason for the creation of awareness on the importance of intellectual property within the national system of innovation (NSI).
The acting NOTAP boss further stated that the Office will continue to encourage the Nigerian knowledge institutions to engage in demand-driven research that will culminate to products and services. She urged researchers to patent their inventions to enjoy the financial benefits accruing from their research undertakings. She said that the Office in ensuring the growth of IP in Nigeria has established 66 Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Offices (IPTTOs) in Nigerian knowledge establishments.
Imiyoho, further said that inventions and innovations are products of research and research is carried out in knowledge establishments therefore there was an urgent need to establish IPTTOs to propel the growth of critical and market driven research as against research for the purpose of career progression.
In her paper titled “Intellectual Property Asset Management” Anie-Osuagwu, said that as important as Patent is to the owner, if not properly managed, patent could also be a liability.
She said that Intellectual Properties (IP) are properties of human intellect or creativity, for instance, drawings, photography, write-up, paintings, inventions and innovations. She added that researchers should always endeavor to protect their intellectual properties to avoid being violated or stolen by other researchers.
The Director, TARC, added that patents are legal rights granted by a government to the IP owner to have monopoly of financial exploitation of the invention or innovation for a certain period of time usually 20 years.
She further stated that prior to NOTAP’s intervention on creating IP awareness in Nigeria, many Nigerian researchers have lost their research results to the western world for lack of knowledge on how to patent their invention. She added that for a researcher to publish or present his or her research findings in conferences, the R&D result must have been sent for patenting as according to her, patent prevents other researchers from infringing or violating ones research results.
She however, urged Nigerian researchers to patent their invention as their financial breakthroughs could be hidden in their research undertakings.
The training workshop which had five technical paper presentations, had over forty participants and IP stakeholders in attendance.
