In order to enjoy the economic benefit of research and development (R&D) activities, the Director General of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Dr. DanAzumi Mohammed Ibrahim has called on researchers and innovators prioritize the protection of their intellectual property.
He made this call recently in Abuja while flagging off a one day training programme organized by NOTAP for Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Offices (IPTTO) Coordinators on automated submission of patent applications to NOTAP.
According to the press release issued by the Deputy Director Press NOTAP Mr. Raymond Onyenezi Ogbu that the DG said while there has been noticeable geometrical increase in the number of applications for Intellectual Property Protection, a lot still needs to be done to increase awareness among researchers.
He harped on the importance of developing new technologies for the country, saying no nation can be termed developed until it has the capacity for research and development.
The NOTAP boss told the participants drawn from Universities, Polytechnics and Research Institutions across the country that nations are considered developed because of their technological advancement, adding that research and development are key to the growth and development of a nation as no country will develop without a vibrant intellectual property culture.
The Ibrahim maintained that as long as research and development results remain as prototypes level, the efforts of research and development may not have any significant effect on our economic development. He stressed that Nigeria’s economic development was dependent on the number of new technologies developed by Nigeria researchers, urging them to come up with technologies that will power the Nigerian economy.