Don advocates stricter implementation of extant laws to punish violators of intellectual property

A don and director of the Centre for Intellectual Property and Commercialisation, (CIPPaC,), University of Ibadan School of Business, Professor Oladapo Okareh, has called for the renewal of obsolete laws and stricter implementation of extant laws to punish violators of intellectual property rights.

Though he admitted that there are adequate laws guiding Intellectual Property (IP) in Nigeria, there is need for the renewal of obsolete laws and stricter implementation of them.

Professor Okareh who made the observation on the occasion of the 2025 IP Day, said that all the government’s Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) concerned with intellectual property should partner with institutions of higher learning across the country for mutual benefits and national development.

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He maintained that there should not be any duplication of efforts, but rather, such offices should synergise for better efficiency.

He also advocated better funding and the creation of more awareness on the issues of intellectual property rights.

Professor Okareh urged the government to support talented creators and entrepreneurs with innovative ideas, especially local fabricators and students who contribute to the arts.

The IP rights expert encouraged the promotion of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) through collaborations in the nation’s Ivory Towers.