About the WIPO Nigeria Office

Our office is presently located within the United Nations House, in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory. The office is staffed by responsive professionals dedicated to providing high quality information, assistance, and services to stakeholders in Nigeria.

Activities

Our activities include:

  • Promoting cooperation between WIPO and the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
  • Raising awareness throughout Nigeria of WIPO and its services as well as of the international intellectual property (IP) system more broadly;
  • Strengthening the provision of and/or knowledge of WIPO’s Global IP Services and treaties;
  • Supporting the development and implementation of IP frameworks to promote innovation and creativity in Nigeria to further social, economic and cultural development;
  • Delivering technical assistance in relation to WIPO’s global infrastructure programs;
  • Promoting and participating in capacity-building activities in the field of IP within Nigeria.
Mr. Oluwatobiloba Moody, WIPO Nigeria Office (Photo: WIPO/Berrod)

Background and history

The WIPO General Assembly decided to open an external office in Nigeria at its session in October 2016. Together with the Office in Algeria (approved by member states at the same time), the WNO is the first presence of WIPO on the African continent.

The WIPO Coordination Committee approved the Host Country Agreement (HCA) for the WNO at its session in October 2017.

In December 2017, the WIPO Director General and the Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, signed the agreement establishing the WNO.

WNO operations – The first WNO staff was deployed to Abuja, Nigeria, on January 21, 2020, and the Office was officially opened for operations on January 22.