By Emeka Aginam
Unless sound IP policies were put in place to help  reduce software piracy and counterfeiting which threaten legitimate businesses and expose consumers to the risks that come from using non-genuine software, the fight against piracy may be far fetched,  Emmanuel Onyeje, General Manager Microsoft Anglophone West African has said.

From left: Emmanuel Onyeje, General Manager, Microsoft Anglophone West Africa, Vincent Mante of Hiperdist Ghana, Ugochi Asinugo of HP Experience Store, Aderemi Adejumo of Resourcery and Seye Oloruntoba, Anti-Piracy Manager, Microsoft Anglophone West Africa

This is even as  Microsoft joins World Intellectual Property Organization in highlighting the benefits of using genuine software and the role of IP in fostering local innovation.

Onyeje who addressed IT journalists yesterday in Lagos as  part of its ongoing effort to foster healthy and competitive economies worldwide said that Microsoft Corp.  joined  the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in recognizing World Intellectual Property (IP) Day, an event that calls for the  IT industry, governments and consumers to speak out about the importance of IP rights.

Strong IP protections are central to instilling a culture of innovation, which can spur economic growth, create jobs and increase revenue for the broader industry and government organizations, he said.

Microsoft according to him  believes that the global arena needs stronger IP protections in place to safeguard the industry’s ability to innovate, level the playing field for small businesses, and help local governments generate tax revenue through the legitimate sale and trade of genuine software.

“In addition to strengthening the economy, sound IP policies can help reduce software piracy and counterfeiting which threaten legitimate businesses and expose consumers to the risks that come from using non-genuine software,
“Software piracy and counterfeiting tend to thrive in places with weak IP protection, and this has an enormous and negative impact on the global economy.

“Consumers and legitimate businesses are asking us to take action and reduce the risks that non-genuine software exposes them to, and we are 100 percent committed to helping them,” Onyeje said, adding that , . “Microsoft invests heavily in technologies, education and enforcement programs to make software piracy more difficult, and we will continue to push for effective IP regulations on behalf of consumers and businesses.”

The software giant quoted a  study commissioned by the International Chamber of Commerce in 2011, saying that  the global economic and social impacts of counterfeiting and piracy will reach $1.7 trillion (U.S.) by 2015 and put 2.5 million legitimate jobs at risk each year.

Conversely, the economic rewards for countries that strengthen IP protection and reduce piracy, Microsoft said  are substantial. According to an economic study by the Business Software Alliance, a reduction in the worldwide piracy rate by 10 percentage points in four years would create $142 billion in new economic activity and add nearly 500,000 new high-tech jobs around the world.

Not only is strong IP protection economically beneficial, but consumers are demanding that the industry and governments take a stand against non-genuine software. In a 2010 Microsoft-commissioned consumer perception survey of 38,000 consumers in 20 countries, nearly three-quarters of consumers wanted the industry and government to do more to protect them from risks associated with non-genuine software, including identity theft and virus attacks. By a three-to-one margin, consumers agreed that non-genuine software is not as safe to use as genuine software, and respondents named data loss and identity theft among their top concerns.

Meanwhile, to  commemorate the World Intellectual Property Day, Microsoft Anglophone West Africa has awarded three deserving Microsoft Partners with the Intellectual Property Champs Award for their commitment to building long-term relationships with consumers by recommending, deploying and servicing only genuine software from Microsoft.

The award-winning Microsoft partners were  Mrs. Ugochi Asinugo of HP Experience Store and Mr. Aderemi Adejumo of Resourcery both in Lagos, along with Mr. Vincent Mante of Hiperdist Ghana.

At the awards ceremony, which took place in the Microsoft Office in Lagos, Seye Oloruntoba Anti-Piracy Manager Nigeria explained the significance of the awards to the partners, “Microsoft works closely with our partners to ensure consumers receive the highest quality experience, best protection and most value for their money. This award recognizes the tireless efforts of partners who are doing exemplary work in this area.

On receiving the Intellectual Property Champ Nigeria award, Mr. Aderemi Adejumo said, “I am honoured to be recognised by Microsoft with this award. As a trusted advisor to my customers, I remain committed to recommending they use genuine Microsoft software.” .