Nigeria | A second WIPO External Office in Africa on the horizon

There are currently 6 WIPO External Offices worldwide. The first WIPO External Office in Africa was successfully opened less than a year ago in Algiers, Algeria and preparations for the opening of a second WIPO External Office in Africa are underway.

In 2017, a Host Country Agreement (HCA) was entered into between WIPO and Nigeria, which established the WIPO External Office in Nigeria. A number of strides have been made in the past month in the establishment of the Office in Nigeria, which is to be called the WIPO Nigeria Office (WNI). Mr Oluwatobilola Moody has been appointed as Programme Officer of the WNI. He recently took office on 15 January 2020. A physical office for the WNI has not yet been established. However, the premises are likely to be situated in Abuja, Nigeria. A substantive director, who is expected to head to the WNI, will be appointed, in due course. The goal of the WNI remains to support the implementation of intellectual property programs, support services, research, development, outreach and capacity building activities in Nigeria.

Adams & Adams is liaising closely with the Intellectual Property Law Association of Nigeria (IPLAN) for further updates regarding the establishment of the WNI.

For more information or assistance in respect of intellectual property protection in this jurisdiction, please e-mail africaip@adams.africa.