The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has announced that inventors and creators of intellectual property will hold exclusive rights to their works for a period of 20 years, after which their inventions will enter the public domain. This was disclosed by NOTAP’s Director-General, Obiageli Amadiobi, during a press conference held in Abuja to commemorate the African Day for Technology and Intellectual Properties. The event was themed *”Leveraging Technology and IPRs to Drive the Renewed Hope Agenda.”*
Amadiobi explained that once the 20-year exclusivity period lapses, the intellectual property can be freely used by anyone without requiring permission from the original creator. This announcement comes in the wake of ongoing disputes surrounding the intellectual property rights of musical works, where questions of ownership and permissions have recently sparked debates.
The commemoration aligns with a resolution passed by the Organisation of African Unity (now the African Union) at its 1999 summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The resolution aimed to raise awareness and encourage African countries to domesticate their intellectual property rights systems and promote technological advancements.
Amadiobi emphasized that the promotion of technology and intellectual property rights is crucial for driving innovation in Nigeria, as it helps foster creativity and economic growth while protecting the interests of inventors.
