E-Business
NOTAP Extends IPR Awareness Campaign to Gombe, Commissions 56th IPTTO
The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) in her continued awareness creation on the importance of Intellectual Property Right (IPR), in Nigeria, recently commissioned the 56th Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO) in Gombe State University.
Speaking at the Commissioning ceremony, the Director General of NOTAP, Dr.DanAzumi Mohammed Ibrahim said that the establishment of IPTTO in Gombe State University was to ensure the documentation and processing of inventive and innovative activities in the region for Patenting and Commercialization.
He described Intellectual Property (IP) as the creation of human intellect, adding that it needs to be protected to enable the creator or the inventor enjoy the financial benefits of their inventions for a period of 20 years.
He said that Nigeria has a weak intellectual property culture but the introduction of IPTTO in some Nigerian knowledge institutions is to create the awareness on the importance of protecting our IP. Dr. Ibrahim stated that inventions and innovations were products of research and researches are conducted in knowledge institutions therefore it was imperative to ensure that University and Polytechnic researchers were aware of the benefits that awaits them for engaging in researches that have potential of translating into tangible goods and services.
The DG further stated that for a nation to be recognised in the global technology arena, it must have a vibrant Science, Technology and Innovation system. He noted that no Nigerian University is ranked among the top 100 Universities in the world because of weak culture of innovation. He added that innovations coming from Universities in the developed Countries translate into goods and services that generate income for such universities.
Also speaking at the event, the Vice Chancellor of Gombe State University, Prof. Aliyu El-Nafaty said that the newly established IPTTO would assist the University Community in harnessing the innovative potential in the State to fast-track technology development of the State.
He commended the Director General of NOTAP for the numerous projects targeted at bridging the gap between the academia and the industry, adding that it will be difficult for innovative activities within the knowledge institutions to strive if the industries are not collaborating with the academia. He further stated that the industries are the major consumers of research and development (R&D) result therefore there must be collaboration between the two for effective development of the country.
According to the VC, there were so many indigenous inventors and innovators within and outside the university community within the state that requires clear direction on how their innovations could benefit them, adding that with the establishment of the Office, the university will collaborate with them to ensure that their inventions are patented and Commercialized.
He regretted that prior to now, the university had lost a lot because there was no deliberate attempt to collate and promote the various innovative activities occasioned by weak knowledge of the benefits accruing from intellectual property protection.
In her goodwill message, the Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Gombe State who was acknowledged as being the brain behind the location of the office at Gombe State University, Dr. Aisha Maigari said that the office would provide an opportunity for researchers to excel.
She said that a lot of artisans and professionals have engaged in various innovative activities but they needed to be guided properly on the kind of research that will be beneficial to them and the larger society. She added that the establishment of IPTTO will streamline their research undertakings to engaging in market driven research as against conventional research.
In her words, “going forward as a Ministry, we are going to have a data bank of our innovators and inventors within the state to ensure that they are properly guided in their research undertaken in order to engage in researches that will transform into goods and services for the benefit of the citizenry”.
She therefore expressed appreciation to the Director General for the support and pleaded for continuous support and collaboration whenever the opportunity calls.
Nigeria recently launched a new joint case team to step up its response to cybercrimes that affect people and businesses at home and abroad.
The ‘Joint Case Team on Cybercrime’ brings together Nigeria’s key justice and security agencies to work as one, making it easier to detect, investigate, and prosecute digital offences.
It is supported by the UK National Crime Agency, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and the Commonwealth Secretariat, as part of a wider effort to promote international cooperation on cybercrime.
Speaking at the launch in Abuja, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, minister of justice and attorney general of the federation described the initiative as “a bold and transformative stride in Nigeria’s justice system.”
He said that although Nigeria has a national legal framework to address cyber offences, laws alone are not enough.
Nigeria is among the countries most affected by cybercrime around the world, with increasing financial losses.
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Division within its ICT Department.
This marks a significant stride toward enhancing electoral integrity, efficiency, and innovation in Nigeria’s democratic process.
This decision was reached at the Commission’s regular weekly meeting held in Abuja, following a series of consultations and engagements on the global and continental impact of AI on elections.
In a statement issued by Sam Olumekun, national commissioner and chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC underscored that the growing relevance of AI in electoral matters necessitated a proactive institutional framework to manage both the risks and opportunities it presents.
“Our interactions with electoral bodies across Africa highlighted both the risks of AI—such as fake news and content manipulation—and the vast potential it holds for data-driven decision-making, risk mitigation, automated voter services, and geo-spatial intelligence for logistics,” Olumekun noted.
According to him, the newly created division will centralise the Commission’s AI efforts, ensuring a harmonized approach to deploying intelligent systems that enhance decision-making, improve voter engagement, and boost the credibility of the electoral process.
“The creation of this division puts the Commission at the forefront of institutionalizing AI capabilities in electoral management.
It is also part of our ongoing reforms in areas where administrative action is sufficient to drive change,” he said.
He added that the AI Division will help INEC better coordinate its existing technological investments while providing safeguards against the misuse of AI technologies.
“We are positioning ourselves to maximise the positive impact of AI while mitigating its negative implications. This step strengthens the credibility and transparency of elections in Nigeria,” Olumekun concluded.
The initiative, INEC emphasised, reflects its commitment to embracing innovation in safeguarding democracy and improving electoral services nationwide.
Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in partnership with the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has unveiled a new Application Programming Interface (API) integration system to allow private firms access company data from the Commission’s database.
Hussaini Ishaq Magaji (SAN), registrar general of CAC, who spoke in Abuja at the unveiling said the system would give selected private organizations access to CAC services through technology-based companies, called “super agents.”
“This is a practical step to show that the Commission is committed to meeting the expectations of our customers,” he said.
Magaji explained that the integration allows the agents to retrieve data from the CAC database for use in specific client requests, outside the standard services provided by the Commission.
“Before now, only a few government agencies had this integration, especially those involved in investigations, anti-money laundering, and terrorism financing. Now, private companies that meet the criteria can also access it,” he said.
He said the system complies with the Nigerian Data Protection Act 2023, and information such as residential addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth may be restricted.
“This is a call to law firms and companies with the right technology. We’ve started with NIPS because of their credibility. Embassies and banks can now authenticate company records directly through them.”
“There are prescribed fees. We already collect them on our portal, and now customers can also pay through these agents,” he explained.
He named NIPS, MoneyPoint, and OPE as some of the companies involved.
“OPE and MoneyPoint handle only registrations. But NIPS has moved further into validation and verification,” he said.
Ngover Ihyembe-Nwankwo, executive director at NIBSS, who represented Premier Oiwoh, managing director, said the service allows secure and efficient data verification.
“This is the result of years of effort to connect our systems with CAC. It will help users verify data within the limits of data protection laws,” she said.
She said the move is a way to lower costs and promote interoperability across the financial sector.
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