The Federal Government, on Tuesday, recorded a milestone in its effort to transform the Nigerian industrial landscape with the launching of the first Intellectual property Automated System in 100 years. The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, who kicked off the IPAS at the Registry of Trademarks Patents and Designs of Nigeria in Abuja, said it was commendable that after 100 years of manual service, Nigeria was rolling out, for the first time, what would be the biggest IPAS system in Africa.
The Industrial Property Automated System, which went live yesterday, is a world acclaimed system of automated processing of applications for the registration of Trademarks Patents and Industrial Designs.
The minister said, “The inauguration of the IPAS today is a big milestone in the transformation agenda of this administration. This is even more significant because it is the first of its kind in 100 years and, as the representative of the World Intellectual Property Organisation has said, it will be the biggest in Africa.
“With the Implementation of the IPAS, Nigeria will join 16 countries, out of the 53 on the African Continent, who have deployed the Service. For investors, the services will be more efficient, quicker and cheaper and there will be transparency and accountability.”
He added, “The introduction of the IPAS will further improve and uplift the integrity and standards of all applications that emanate from Nigeria. It will enhance the confidence of both the local and international communities and further encourage local and foreign direct investment in the country.
This is about consumer and investment protection and it is a very good development for the country. “The IPAS will enhance the quality of examinations, decisions and services offered to applicants and the general public. The better services will further improve the image of Nigeria, while encouraging investors, international companies and the international community to register their Industrial Property assets, in line with international best practice, in Nigeria.” The Director, Commercial Law, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ms. Salman Mann, noted that the Nigerian public would benefit from a more efficient system, which would create wealth and more jobs for the people.
The Project Manager, WIPO, Mr. Hisham Fayed, corroborated the fact that the IPAS would be the biggest in Africa, adding that the computerisation programme would help in improving the speed of the application for patents trademarks and industrial designs.
“This will reflect on the quality of the service that will be provided to the applicants. It will also enhance the image of the ministry and that of Nigeria and give investors more confidence to come and invest in Nigeria,” he noted.
The minister, however, added that the launch of the IPAS would complement the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan. He said, apart from focusing on developing sectors, where Nigeria had comparative and competitive advantage, the plan also targeted the creation of an enabling environment for industries by reducing the current major barriers to development. He identified the enablers targeted by the NIRP to include finance, skills development, innovation, infrastructure, business environment, enforcement of adherence to standards and increased local patronage. The IPAS, he noted, would be particularly useful in the area of linking innovation and skills development to industrial development.
