By Laolu Elijah, Ibadan

The Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Dr. John Asein, has urged legal practitioners specializing in Intellectual Property (IP) law to assist the commission in combating piracy.

Speaking at the ongoing 2024 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ibadan branch Law Week and 70th Anniversary celebration, Asein addressed the topic “Intellectual Rights Infringement In the 21st Century.” He emphasized the need for legal practitioners to establish legal clinics to help local artisans and other groups understand and enforce their IP rights.

“Through strategic litigation, lawyers can set important precedents that strengthen the enforcement of IP rights in Nigeria. By tackling cases of piracy, counterfeiting, and patent infringement, the Bar can help establish a legal environment where rights owners feel secure in investing in innovation and creativity,” he stated.

Asein further stressed that the recently developed IP policy and strategy must move beyond the Federal Executive Council to actual implementation.

He called on the Bar to play a watchdog role in ensuring accountability and adherence to timelines. Lawyers, according to him, can also facilitate partnerships between academia, government, and the private sector to create hubs of innovation where ideas can be protected and commercialized.

“If we recalibrate our IP system now, the benefits will extend far beyond ratings; we will see an innovation -driven economy where creators, inventors are empowered, industries thrive and Nigeria takes its rightful place on the global stage. This is not just a legal or policy issue, it is an economic and moral imperative. Let us act boldly and swiftly”.
Panelist Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya from Lagos added, “Lawyers should educate themselves about IP rights to drive the reforms that are necessary in this area.”