E-Business
NCC, WIPO Organize Capacity Building Workshop on IP Rights for Judiciary
Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) in the thrust of its mandate to advance the growth of Creative Industry through strengthening of Institutional capacity has organized a train the trainers’ workshop for judicial training institutions in the country last month.
The capacity building training which was held at the National Judicial Institute, Jabi – Abuja in collaboration with the World Intellectual property Organization (WIPO) aims at equipping trainers with the necessary intellectual capacity to enhance the knowledge of Judges on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).
Delivering his keynote address, the Director-General, NCC, Mr. Afam Ezekude stated that the training will no doubt enhance the knowledge horizon of Judges on matters of Intellectual Property (IP) in Nigeria.
Mr. Ezekude while appreciating WIPO for nominating Nigeria as one of the benefiting Countries for this laudable training initiative noted that the training will have a lasting positive effect on the nation’s jurisprudence as regarding IP.
The training was held in furtherance of WIPO’s project on ‘Development and Intellectual Property Rights Education and Professional Trainings with Judicial Training Institutions in Developing and least Developed Countries’.
According to the Project Manager, WIPO Academy and representative of the DG WIPO, Mr. Mohammed Aderaouf Bdioui, Nigeria, Nepal, Costa Rica and Lebanon are pilot countries nominated in the quest to build capacity for efficient and effective national IPR education and training programme for judges.
The training workshop anchored by the NCC Director of Regulatory, Mr. Mike Akpan, focused extensively on IP topics like Copyright and Related Rights, Trademarks, Patent and Industrial Designs, Trade secrets and Geographical location.
Other topics of IP such as traditional knowledge and alternative dispute resolution of IP, Discussions on Court cases were held as well as interactive sessions.
The recommendations of the sessions are as follows:
– That the training module on Copyright Education and Enlightenment should be simplified and well structured to serve the purpose of understanding the content and context by the intended audience
– That the rationale for protection of Trademarks, well known Marks and Passing Off should be fully explained in the modules for training as well as the differences.
– That there is need for urgent review of the Patent and Designs Act Cap P4 LFN 2004 which is now obsolete
– That the module for Confidential Information and Trade Secrets should include protection of Trade Secrets through the Constitutional Right to Privacy under section 37 of the Constitution, Freedom of Information Act and Cyber Squatting under the Cyber Crimes Act.
– That the Geographical Location Module should incorporate examples in Nigeria of Geographical indications and other examples in Africa.
– That the provisions of the Nigerian law on Traditional Knowledge, Traditional Cultural Expressions should be brought out clearly in the Module and should consist of more Nigerian and African cases.
On the modalities to train judges it was agreed that they must be treated with utmost respect through appropriate choice of words and mode of delivery to ensure that there is highest regard for them while trainers must see themselves as discussants aiding the judges to widen their horizon.
The National Consultant of the Project, Mr. John Ohi Asein, stated that the objective of the program is to consolidate knowledge and expertise of the selected future trainers in IPRs in order to transmit the acquired skills to members of the judiciary in Nigeria.
Observations and recommendations of the participants through syndicated groups are to be forwarded to the national consultant of the project for incorporation into the modules to be adopted for the trainings.
The Administrator, National Judicial Institute represented by the Director of Studies described the workshop as a worthy exercise aimed at enhancing the quality of the nation’s judiciary in the quest to dispense equitable and fair justice.
Others at the training workshop include; Professor Bankole Sodipo – GO Sodipo & Co, Prof. Ben Shinaya- University of Nairobi, Prof. Oyewunmi Adejoke – University of lagos, Prof. Odunaike Dorcas – Babcock University, Mrs. Ojo Caroline Taiwo – NOTAP Abuja, Mrs. Usen Enobong – Patent, Trademark and Industrial Design office, Abuja, Mr. Ajala Oluwafemi O. Esq-NCC Abuja and 11 other resource persons were present for the event.
Amazon’s management on Wednesday said that it expects that artificial intelligence software will reduce the number of office workers at the world’s largest online retailer.
Andy Jassy, chief executive, Amazon
“We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today and more people doing other types of jobs,” Andy Jassy, chief executive, Amazon wrote in an email to employees.
He said it was difficult to predict how the overall workforce will evolve, but in the next few years, it is expected that AI efficiency gains will lead to a reduction in the number of office workers.
According to earlier reports, Amazon employed around 1.5 million people worldwide, with approximately 350,000 office employees in various roles.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the company does not anticipate further large-scale layoffs, as seen in 2022 and 2023, in the near future.
Instead, it expects that vacant positions will not be refilled.
However, layoffs are not ruled out, according to sources familiar with the matter.
“Amazon is focusing on so-called AI agents, software capable of independently performing tasks. These agents could, for example, summarise information from the web and data sources, write software, translate languages and automate many time-consuming tasks,” Mr Jassy explained.
“Agents will be teammates that we can call on at various stages of our work,” he added, urging employees to experiment with AI whenever possible.
The impact of AI on the job market has been a concern for many years.
Recently, Spotify, the leader in music streaming, announced that teams requesting additional staff would first need to prove that AI could not perform the tasks.
The creators of the language-learning app Duolingo plan to gradually replace external workers with AI.
Dr Adebowale Adedokun, director-general, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), has reaffirmed the bureau’s commitment to data protection in Nigeria.
He disclosed this in a statement at the weekend by Zira Nagga, head of Public Relations, BPP, following a courtesy visit by a delegation from the National Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
Adedokun stressed that data protection is vital to Nigeria’s economy and development, particularly in areas such as demography, health, education, and other key sectors.
He emphasised that no country should leave its data unprotected, as it plays a crucial role in future planning and national development.
“Data governs the world. It is essential to technological progress and must be protected for a country or business to be taken seriously,” he said.
Adedokun described the visit, aimed at fostering partnership on data policy implementation and protection, as timely and aligned with national goals.
He said the BPP would collaborate closely with the NDPC to boost data development, capacity building, and enhance the procurement system.
“The BPP will support compliance as part of the ‘Nigeria First’ Policy, although it is not a core procurement eligibility requirement,” he explained.
He suggested a hybrid training model to help build strong capacity in data protection, privacy awareness, and policy understanding.
According to him, a dynamic training approach will reduce logistics costs and improve public confidence in data safety and privacy.
Dr Vincent Olatunji, CEO, and national commissioner, NDPC, praised Adedokun and the BPP for supporting data protection initiatives.
He said the partnership supports President Bola Tinubu’s vision and will strengthen data privacy across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
“The collaboration will create awareness and train BPP staff to ensure a firm grasp of data protection principles and policies,” he stated.
Olatunji said the NDPC would establish a working group to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding beneficial to both institutions.
He added that President Tinubu signed the NDPC into law on 12 June 2023 to uphold citizens’ rights and protect national and business data.
Olatunji also noted that strict legal measures were in place to enforce data protection and ensure full compliance nationwide.
Both agencies agreed to form a team to sign the MoU and focus on capacity building and data management in procurement and beyond.
President Bola Tinubu said that his administration has initiated a project to install fibre optic cables across the country, aimed at enhancing the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
His plans were contained in a speech he delivered at a joint session of the National Assembly in commemoration of Democracy Day on Thursday, June 12.
He said the fibre optic layout is part of other projects being embarked on.
“In addition, we have embarked on an ambitious project to lay fibre optic cables across the nation, a transformative step toward bridging the digital divide and fostering greater connectivity.
“This initiative promises not only to enhance the speed and reliability of internet access but also to revolutionise how businesses operate, how students learn, and how communities stay connected,” Tinubu stated.
He maintained that by extending this critical infrastructure, his government is empowering entrepreneurs, enabling digital education, and providing the tools for our youth to compete in a globalised world.
In a most recent report on Internet connectivity, The ICIR pointed out how Nigeria has faced setbacks in its deployment of fibre optic cables and needs a transformation.
The challenges revolve around vandalism, inadequate coordination between road construction and telecom infrastructure, and varying right-of-way (RoW) charges across states.
Among industry experts, these issues impact network outages, increase repair costs, and hinder broadband expansion efforts.
It has also further threatened the digital economy, leading to slower Internet speeds, dropped calls, and unreliable connectivity among others.
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