The director general of Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Dr John Asein, Tuesday solicited the intervention of legal practitioners specialising in Intellectual Property (IP) law to stem piracy, counterfeiting and all infringements,
Dr Asein said this at the 2024 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ibadan branch Law Week and 70th Anniversary celebration in Ibadan.
He said there is the need for Nigeria to have IP specialised lawyers capable of navigating the complexities of domestic and international IP laws.
While speaking on the topic :”Intellectual Rights Infringement In the 21st century”, he stated that many creators, entrepreneurs and innovators often lack the legal knowledge or resources to protect their IP.
“The recently developed IP policy and strategy must move beyond the Federal Executive Council to actual implementation. The Bar can play a watchdog role, ensuring accountability and adherence to timelines,” he said.
Dr Asein added: “Lawyers can facilitate partnerships between academia, government, and the private sector to create hubs of innovation where ideas can be protected and commercialised”.