The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Nigeria Office convened the fourth edition of the IP and Women Business Summit on March 17, 2026, at the United Nations House.
Held under the theme “The Audacity for Change: Women Leading Innovation and Creativity for Nigeria’s Economic Transformation,” the Summit brought together over 300 participants from both the public and private sectors. Attendees included ambassadors and embassy representatives, Heads of UN Agencies in Nigeria, intellectual property offices, NGO’s, policymakers, legal professionals, entrepreneurs, innovators, and creatives, reflecting strong and diverse engagement across Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.
The event forms part of WIPO’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the role of intellectual property in supporting inclusive economic growth in Nigeria, with a focus on advancing women’s participation in innovation, creativity, and enterprise development. It also provided a platform to connect attendees with WIPO’s flagship initiatives, such as the IP for Her Platform, designed as a global community engagement platform, empowering women who seek to stay connected, continue learning, and expand their impact.
In his opening remarks, the Director of the WIPO Nigeria Office welcomed participants and reaffirmed WIPO’s commitment to supporting women in leveraging intellectual property as a tool for economic empowerment. Goodwill messages from the Resident Representatives of partner organizations including UNDP (Ms. Elsie Attafuah) and UN Women (Ms. Beatrice Eyong), emphasized the importance of policy support, institutional collaboration, and inclusive innovation ecosystems.
The Summit featured keynote addresses from Ms. Joke Aliu, Co-Managing Partner, Aluko and Oyebode and Ms. Ngozi Ekeoma, Group Managing Director, Nepal Group of Companies. The speakers highlighted the importance of protecting, managing, and commercializing innovation through intellectual property systems, as well as the role of leadership, resilience, and strategic decision-making in building sustainable enterprises.
A panel session, moderated by Ms. Maupe Ogun-Yusuf, Co-Host of Sunrise Daily on Channels TV, examined how women are transforming innovation and creativity into economic value. Panelists Ms. Amaka Okechukwu Opara, Founding Partner, Women’s Enterprise Acceleration Vehicle; Ms. Angela Adebayo Agbe-Davies, Founder and Managing Director, Inventa Nigeria; and Ms. Maryam Lawan Gwadabe, Founder, Blue Sapphire Hub, highlighted key enablers such as access to funding, market opportunities, strategic partnerships, and the role of intellectual property in attracting investment and supporting business growth and scale. The session also addressed structural barriers limiting women’s participation in high-growth sectors.
Participants described the Summit as both insightful and impactful, noting that the training covered all aspects of business and provided valuable insights on how to better monetize their craft. These reflections underscore the relevance of the Summit in building awareness and driving practical action among women entrepreneurs.
In closing, participants were encouraged to move beyond innovation to protected and commercialized innovation, and to leverage intellectual property strategically to drive business growth and economic transformation.
The 2026 IP and Women Business Summit further advanced discussions on the role of intellectual property in enabling women to transform ideas into economic value and contribute to Nigeria’s development.