The 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. Speaking at a one-day Coordinator’s Forum organized 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 that 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 losing 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. The DG 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 commercialize their inventions, adding that patents that cannot metamorphose into tangible products and services are not worth keeping, as they are liabilities to the owners. The DG said that researchers with patented inventions can license their invention for royalty purposes or sell them outrightly to venture capitalists if they cannot commercialize.

Dr. Amadiobi stated that over the years, the nation had depended on the consumption of products from foreign research, 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 organizing the IPTTO coordinator’s forum was to interact with the coordinators, know their challenges and achievements, and encourage the centers that are not very progressive to strengthen their centers.

She stressed that while a number of centers are performing well, some are struggling to find their fit, occasioned by bureaucratic bottlenecks. Dr. Amadiobi informed the gathering that NOTAP was established to regulate the inflow of foreign technologies through the registration of technology transfer agreements but also has the responsibility to encourage the efficient development of indigenous technologies.

The DG 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 is 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 took turns to commend NOTAP for the impactful program and requested the Office to assist them with links to venture capitalists for the commercialization of their research results. All the IPTTO coordinators presented their scorecards and were advised to get ready for the 2026 IPTTO ranking that would be organized by the Office.

By: Raymond Onyenezi Ogbu,
For: Head, Public Relations and Protocol Unit- NOTAP