Dr John Asein, Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), has urged Nigerian universities to incorporate general Intellectual Property (IP) education into their curricula. He made the call during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of a meeting with winners of the 2025 WIPO Nigeria National Essay Competition in Abuja.
The meeting, part of a study visit for the winners, also allowed them to present policy recommendations to the commission and gain insight into its statutory operations. According to Asein, promoting IP education at the university level is a key part of NCC’s broader effort to foster a culture of respect for intellectual property rights from an early age.
Asein emphasized that Nigeria is a leading creative hub in Africa, and the younger generation must understand IP and copyright laws to maximize their creative potential. He noted that tertiary institutions, as centres of research and learning, should introduce students to IP concepts in line with global standards to enhance the global competitiveness of Nigerian universities.
“That will help students appreciate their creativity and innovation, while also understanding the importance of respecting others’ intellectual property,” he said. Asein clarified that the proposal is not for a full course on IP but for incorporating IP modules into General Studies programs. He stressed that courses with a focus on creativity and innovation should integrate IP education. For instance, Fine Arts students need to understand their rights over their works, business students must learn the value of trademarks and branding, and science students should understand patents to protect their innovations.
The DG added that NCC will continue to provide easily accessible materials and create opportunities to advance this initiative. He noted that the commission recently presented the revised Model IP Policy to the General Assembly of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU). Developed in collaboration with the CVCNU in 2021, the policy has been reissued to promote adoption and implementation in universities.
“For Nigeria to harness innovation and creativity, it must educate those producing it. The university level is the best place to start. Every student passing through higher institutions should gain a basic understanding of intellectual property,” he said, adding that NCC is in talks with the NUC, vice-chancellors, and individual universities to embed IP knowledge in their programs.
Asein also encouraged universities to integrate the WIPO Distance Learning 101 course on IP, available online for free, into their General Studies curricula to equip students with essential IP skills. He congratulated the 2025 essay competition winners, noting that they would become Ambassadors of the commission in the fight against copyright infringement.
In his remarks, Dr Tobi Moody, Director of the WIPO Nigeria Office, praised NCC for its commitment to IP issues and support for the annual essay competition. He explained that the National Essay Competition, launched in 2020, aims to engage tertiary students with IP knowledge. The 2025 edition’s theme was “IP and Music: Harnessing Nigeria’s Music Industry for Economic Growth.”
Moody highlighted that the competition encourages students to think critically about IP’s role in driving innovation and creativity, especially in Nigeria’s music industry. He noted that the 2025 competition received 188 entries, reviewed by 20 judges over four months, resulting in 17 finalists and three top winners. The top winners will receive scholarships for further training abroad and serve as Ambassadors for intellectual property in Nigeria.
