Nigeria has strengthened its position as a leading innovation hub in Africa with the inauguration of the first Sub-Saharan African office of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Abuja.
The landmark development was announced on Tuesday during the launch of the WIPO Nigeria Office at the United Nations House, followed by a high-level roundtable on advancing Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem and expanding the role of intellectual property in economic development.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, described the establishment of the office as a major vote of confidence in Nigeria’s growing innovation, technology, manufacturing, and creative sectors.
She said the Federal Government remains committed to leveraging intellectual property, innovation, and commercialization as key drivers of economic growth, job creation, and global competitiveness.
According to the minister, Nigeria has moved beyond policy formulation and is actively implementing its National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy through partnerships involving government agencies, private-sector stakeholders, and international organizations.
Oduwole noted that WIPO’s decision to site its first Sub-Saharan African office in Nigeria would expand 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.
He pointed to the country’s globally acclaimed music and film industries, as well as its rapidly expanding technology ecosystem, which hosts more than 3,000 startups.
Tang stressed that intellectual property has become one of the most valuable assets in today’s knowledge-based economy, enabling ideas, brands, creativity, and innovations to generate economic value.
He identified six strategic opportunities for Nigeria, including using intellectual property as a financial asset, commercializing research and university innovations, strengthening the national innovation ecosystem, supporting creative industries through stronger copyright frameworks, equipping young people with innovation and entrepreneurship skills, and helping small and medium-sized enterprises protect and monetize their innovations.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu, emphasized the need for an inclusive innovation ecosystem capable of attracting investment, creating jobs, and driving sustainable economic growth.
Also speaking, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, described the establishment of the WIPO office as timely, noting that effective intellectual property systems are essential for unlocking Africa’s vast creative and innovation potential, particularly among young people and women.
Participants at the roundtable agreed that stronger intellectual property protection must be accompanied by effective commercialization frameworks to enable innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and creators transform ideas into globally competitive products and services.
Stakeholders expressed optimism that the WIPO Nigeria Office would usher in a new phase of innovation-led growth, positioning intellectual property as a powerful tool for wealth creation, investment attraction, and national development.
The Abuja office is expected to serve as a strategic hub for WIPO’s activities across Sub-Saharan Africa, supporting member states in strengthening intellectual property systems and fostering innovation-driven economies.
