By Sunday Ani
Director General of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi, has expressed displeasure over the level of Intellectual Property Right (IPR) losses by Nigerian researchers due to insufficient knowledge of the benefits of IPR protection.
This was contained in a statement by NOTAP’s Head, Public Relations and Protocol Unit, Mr. Raymond Onyenezi Ogbu,
Speaking at a one-day Coordinator’s Forum organised by the Office in Uyo for the South-South geopolitical zone of the country, the Director General, represented by the Director of Technology Acquisition and Research Coordination (TARC) Department, Mrs. Caroline Anie-Osuagwu, said prior to the establishment of the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Offices (IPTTOs) in Nigerian knowledge establishments, Nigerian researchers had no deep knowledge of the importance of IP protection, hence leading to the loss of their IP rights.
She explained that IP rights are rights granted to a researcher or inventor by the government to have a monopoly over the financial exploitation of their inventions for a period of time to recoup the expenditure on their research undertaking.
She advised researchers to always file for a patent each time they anticipate a breakthrough and avoid publishing before patenting, as any research work published in a paper is already in the public domain and can no longer be patented.
She challenged patent owners to license or commercialise their inventions, adding that patents that cannot metamorphose into tangible products and services are not worth keeping, as they are liabilities to the owners.
She noted that researchers with patented inventions could license their invention for royalty purposes or sell them outrightly to venture capitalists if they cannot commercialise.
She stressed that over the years, the nation had depended on consumption of products from foreign researchers, while Nigeria is blessed with skilled human resources but only needs to be strategic in their research understanding.
The DG stated that the aim of organising the IPTTO coordinator’s forum was to interact with the coordinators, know their challenges and achievements and encourage the centres that are not very progressive to strengthen their centres.
She emphasised that while a number of centres were performing well, some were struggling to find their feet, as a result of bureaucratic bottlenecks.
She told the gathering that NOTAP was established to regulate the inflow of foreign technologies through the registration of technology transfer agreements, adding that it also has the responsibility to encourage the efficient development of indigenous technologies.
She expressed confidence in the ability of the research communities engaging in demand-driven and market-driven research to fast-track development.
She noted that technology development was a product of research work, and knowledge institutions are duty-bound to engage in critical research to advance the IPR ecosystem in Nigeria.
Participants from the South-South zone commended NOTAP for the programme and requested the Office to assist them with links to venture capitalists for commercialisation of their research results.