The Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Daren Tang, concluded his first official visit to Nigeria from May 31 to June 2, 2026, reaffirming WIPO’s commitment to supporting the country’s ambition to build a knowledge-based, innovation-driven and globally competitive economy.
The visit marked a historic milestone with the official inauguration of the WIPO Nigeria Office, the Organization’s first external office in Sub-Saharan Africa, and provided an opportunity for high-level discussions on leveraging intellectual property (IP) to drive innovation, entrepreneurship, creativity, investment and sustainable economic development.
During the mission, Mr. Tang met with Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, to discuss the implementation of the National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy (NIPPS) and the role of intellectual property in advancing Nigeria’s development priorities. The meeting underscored a shared vision to harness IP to strengthen Nigeria’s innovation and creative sectors, create jobs, and drive economic development.
Mr. Tang also had bilateral engagements with government officials, including minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, minister of industry, trade, and investment, minister of innovation, science and technology, minister of communications, innovation and digital economy, minister of arts, culture, tourism and the creative economy, and minister of youth development. He also engaged with innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, creators and members of the judiciary.
Advancing Nigeria’s National IP Agenda
Central to the discussions was Nigeria’s National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy (NIPPS), adopted in 2025 with WIPO’s support. The policy provides a framework for integrating intellectual property into national development planning and strengthening innovation-led growth.
Mr. Tang emphasized the importance of translating intellectual property into tangible economic and social value through stronger institutions, enhanced commercialization, improved enforcement mechanisms and broader awareness of IP as a strategic business asset.
Supporting Startups and Innovation Commercialization
Nigeria’s rapidly expanding startup ecosystem featured prominently throughout the visit. Discussions highlighted the need to strengthen support systems that enable startups and innovators to protect, commercialize and scale their innovations.
At a fireside chat hosted at Innov8 Hub, Mr. Tang joined innovators, researchers, entrepreneurs and policymakers to discuss strategies for accelerating innovation commercialization. Participants explored issues ranging from technology transfer and IP valuation to investment readiness and access to financing.
The discussions underscored the importance of building a coordinated innovation ecosystem capable of transforming research, creativity and entrepreneurship into sustainable economic opportunities.
Strengthening Judicial Capacity for IP Adjudication
A key highlight of the visit was the unveiling of the Intellectual Property Benchbook for the Nigerian Judiciary at the National Judicial Institute (NJI). Developed jointly by WIPO and the NJI, the Benchbook serves as a practical resource for judges handling intellectual property matters, supporting consistency, efficiency, and informed decision-making in IP-related cases.
Mr. Tang reaffirmed WIPO’s commitment to supporting judicial capacity-building efforts and strengthening the legal framework necessary to foster innovation and creativity.
Empowering Nigeria’s Creative Economy
The Director General also met with stakeholders from Nigeria’s creative sector to explore how intellectual property can help creators protect, monetize and scale their work.
Discussions focused on strengthening rights management systems, improving IP awareness, supporting collective management organizations and developing mechanisms that enable creators to unlock the economic value of their intellectual assets.
A fireside chat, themed "Making IP Work for Creators in Africa: From Rights Protection to Real Economic Value" brought together creators, producers, policymakers and digital innovators to discuss practical solutions for advancing the creative economy.
A Historic Milestone: Inauguration of the WIPO Nigeria Office
The official opening of the WIPO Nigeria Office symbolically reinforced WIPO’s commitment to serve as a platform for supporting innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, creators and small businesses, raise IP awareness while advancing the implementation of Nigeria’s National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, the Director General described the office as a long-term investment in Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem and a testament to WIPO’s confidence in the country’s potential to become a leading innovation and creative economy.
The visit concluded with a renewed commitment from both WIPO and the Nigerian Government to deepen collaboration in areas including innovation commercialization, startup development, creative industries, judicial capacity building, youth engagement and intellectual property-driven economic growth.