The U.S. Mission, in collaboration with the American Business Council, has hosted the second edition of its Intellectual Property (IP) symposium in Lagos State.

The symposium was held with the theme, ‘Intellectual Property and Youth: Innovating for a Better Future’.

The two-day symposium, led by the United States Department of Justice’s INL-funded Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT)’s International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Attorney Adviser (ICHIP), brought together key stakeholders in Nigeria’s IPR protection framework, including leading entertainment and creative industry leaders.

In her remarks, U.S. Ambassador, Mary Beth Leonard, noted that protection of intellectual property rights is critical for any economy that wants to foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Leonard noted that strong intellectual property rights protection is essential to creating jobs and opening new markets for goods and services.

She encouraged stakeholders in the intellectual property space to shore up Nigeria’s IPR legal framework and lay a solid foundation for youth to drive innovation and engender a more prosperous Nigeria.

She said: “Nigerian youth are an incredible source of ingenuity and creativity.

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“A strong system of intellectual property rights assures inventors, industrial designers, musicians, and artists alike that their creative content will be protected and valued.”

The symposium featured a plenary session, thematic panel discussions and exhibitions with particular focus on Nigeria’s burgeoning entertainment and creative industries.

It also featured a secondary school debate on the relevance of IPR protection for Nigeria’s better future, as well as thought-provoking art performances to spotlight the place of creativity.

Participants discussed how intellectual property rights can support their goals, help transform ideas into reality, generate income, create jobs, and make a positive impact.

The U.S. Mission Nigeria organised the first intellectual property symposium in 2019 on “Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals and Piracy.”

The Embassy-funded original film, Fishbone, was premiered at the 2019 symposium.

The Star