The Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission, Dr John Asein, has emphasized the need for Nigerian universities to introduce general intellectual property education into their programs.
Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with winners of the 2025 World Intellectual Property Organization Nigeria National Essay Competition in Abuja, Asein stressed that such education is crucial for fostering respect for intellectual property rights from a young age. Okay News reports.
According to Asein, Nigeria is a leading creative hub in Africa, and students must understand intellectual property and copyright issues to fully harness the country’s creative potential. He noted that universities, as centers of learning and research, should equip both students and lecturers with knowledge of intellectual property in line with global standards.
“That will help the students to value the creativity and innovation in them and also know why they need to respect other people’s intellectual property. What we are saying in that regard is not to have a full course on IP, but as part of the general studies, they should have some modules on IP,” Asein said.
He further elaborated that specific courses, particularly in creative or innovation-driven fields, should integrate intellectual property knowledge. “If you are a student of fine arts or any of the arts in a university or a polytechnic, you need to understand what rights you have in the works you are producing. If you are in the business field, you need to understand the value of trademarks and branding to businesses, so you will not be shortchanged in the business world. For those in sciences who are hoping to innovate or to invent, and you don’t know what patents mean, anyone can come and buy your innovation or your invention for peanuts,” he said.
Dr Asein revealed that the Nigerian Copyright Commission has been actively providing simplified materials to students and lecturers to promote intellectual property awareness. The Commission recently presented a revised Model Intellectual Property Policy to the General Assembly of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, which was initially developed in 2021.
“So, for Nigeria to actually grow and use innovation and creativity, it must also educate those who are going to be producing that innovation or creativity. That is why we think the best place to start is at the school level or the university level. It is good enough if every student that passes through a higher institution of learning is able to understand the rudiments of intellectual property,” Asein added.
He encouraged universities to integrate the free WIPO Distance Learning 101 course on intellectual property into their general studies programs. The Director-General also commended the essay competition winners, who will now serve as ambassadors of the Commission in promoting respect for copyright and intellectual property.
Dr Tobi Moody, Director of the WIPO Nigeria Office, praised the Commission for its dedication to intellectual property issues and noted that the essay competition encourages students to critically examine the role of intellectual property in innovation, particularly in Nigeria’s music industry. The theme for 2025 was “IP and Music: Harnessing Nigeria’s Music Industry for Economic Growth.”
This year, 188 entries were submitted, and 20 finalists were selected, with the top three winners receiving scholarships for further training abroad.
