African Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO) under AfCFTA: Should Nigeria join or not?

Webinar Meeting 8^th May, 2020

Time: 3:00PM

African Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO) under AfCFTA: Should Nigeria join or not?

Context

International trade is much more than moving goods across borders. It involves Innovation, creativity concept, design, knowledge work, branding and much more, which represent a large component of the value that exchange hands in international trade. Is important to emphasize that these are called Intellectual property rights, which has been defined as property rights in something intangible that protect innovations and reward innovative activities.

African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) entered into force on May 30, 2019, as an agreement that aims to create a single African continental market for goods and services, with free movement of businesspersons and investments, which will eventually pave the way for a common customs union. The AfCFTA Protocol on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) is part of the phase II negotiation that is expected to take at least another year to finalize. 

African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) is an inter-governmental organization (IGO) for Africa that has a critical role to play in strengthening the regional and national cross-border collaboration on IPR under AfCFTA. Even though Nigeria is not a member of ARIPO, Nigeria has signed the AfCFTA agreement but yet to ratify and deposit the agreement with the African Union.

It is said that Nigeria may be considered to have good intellectual property laws and has launched many commendable programmes, with the coming into force of AfCFTA- this, many experts consider to present a new opportunity for cross border strategic alliance on IP in Africa.  Should Nigeria not reconsider its position on whether to join ARIPO?

Panelists:

1.           Mr. Fernando Dos Santos – Director General: ARIPO

2.           Mr Shafiu Adamu Yauri- Registrar: Trademarks Registry, Nigeria

3.           Diana Akullo Ogwal – Policy Officer: African Union Commission (AUC)

4.           Mr. Afamefuna Nwokedi- Principal Counsel and Group Head at Stillwaters Law and Chairman of   the IP Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association-Section on Business Law

5.         Ms. Nta Ekpiken- Partner at TNP an Andersen Collaborating law firm

Moderators

1. Sand Mba Kalu, Executive Director, Africa International Trade & Commerce Research

2. Dr Titilayo Adebola- Lecturer in Law, University of Aberdeen, UK

Sponsored and Organised by

1. Africa International Trade & Commerce Research (AITCR) &

2. Nigerian Bar Association – Section on Business Law

3. IP First- Nigeria

Author: AITRC 2