Covid-19: NOTAP sets aside celebration of Intellectual Property Day

The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has set aside this year’s celebration of intellectual property due to Covid-19.

Yearly,  13th of September,  is set aside by African countries to commemorate the African Day for Technology and Intellectual Property (IP) Right.

 The Director General NOTAP, Dr. DaAzumi Mohammed Ibrahim, however, said NOTAP will shelve the 2020 Commemoration of African Day for Technology and Intellectual Property Rights owing to the ravaging effects of Covid-19.

He said, “Because secondary schools Children are the major exhibitors at the event and in accordance with the global and Presidential Committee on Covid-19 protocols, the Office decided to shelve it and prepare adequately for 2021 Commemoration.” 

He stated this in a press release issued by the Public Relations and Protocol Unit NOTAP Mr. Raymond Onyenezi Ogbu.

He said the event was to arouse the latent creativity and inventive spirit of young inventors and innovators being one of the ways through which rapid development of a nation can be assured, adding that it was also to further sensitize and facilitate the domestication of Technology and development of the Intellectual Property Right  System (IPRS) in Africa and reawaken the creative ability of the people in the continent to eradicate poverty and drive sustainable development.

He further stated that no nation of the earth can grow without adequate development and deployment of science, technology and innovation. “NOTAP as an agency saddled with the responsibility of promoting the inventive and innovative spirit of Nigerian has over the years, on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST), commemorated this day to demonstrate to our children and youth the importance of IPR to nation building.”

He reiterated that Technology and Intellectual Property systems have long been recognized to be among the foremost important factors in nation building and wealth creation. “Ideas and knowledge are increasingly becoming veritable instruments in international trade relations as codified in the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) under the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement to which Nigeria is a signatory since January 1, 1995.”

He further said that NOTAP had in the past celebrated the day through technology exhibitions by secondary and Vocational schools within and around FCT, Nigerian young inventors and innovators as well as the Association of Nigerian Inventors (ANI). He said that young Nigerians have demonstrated high intellect and commitment to the development of the Nigerian innovation sector through their products.

“In today’s knowledge based economy and global business environment, absorption of new technology has become a veritable component for companies to survive through maintaining their competitive positions in the market place and for a nation state, technology is used as a tool to enhance national competiveness. Nations are no longer valued in terms of their population, geographical landmass or mineral resources but on the organic mass of knowledge in its citizenry,” he stressed.

“Unless Nigeria develops the technical manpower to attract and domesticate foreign technology for our daily operations, it may be difficult for it to meet up with the challenges of unemployment, poverty, wealth creation and youth restiveness. NOTAP is working seriously in collaboration with other stakeholders to ensure rapid technological development of the nation, hence the need to continuously sensitize Nigerians and indeed other African Countries on the need to develop indigenous technology.”

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