Abuja: Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has reaffirmed its commitment to fostering a culture of innovation, creativity and respect for Intellectual Property (IP), in line with the national aspiration for economic diversification for national development. The Director-General of NCC, Dr. John Asein, said this at a programme to commemorate the 2026 World Intellectual Property Day (WIPD) on Saturday in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Asein, who was represented by Mrs Ijeoma Egbunike, NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, stated that Nigeria joined the global Intellectual Property (IP) community to celebrate the Day themed ‘IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate.’ He described the theme as a call to action for Nigeria to harness the power of IP by unlocking the full potential of its sports, creative and innovative industries into engines of sustainable economic growth.
The WIPD is celebrated annually on April 26, aimed at raising awareness about how patents, copyright, trademarks, and designs impact daily life. According to the NCC boss, the day also serves as a platform to raise awareness about how IP rights support creators, innovators, and entrepreneurs in transforming ideas into valuable assets that drive national growth.
Asein highlighted that the IP community is focusing on the theme ‘IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate,’ to celebrate the creators, inventors, and entrepreneurs, whose passion and ideas drive the future of sports. He emphasized how IP plays a unique role in protecting and promoting the inventions, designs, brands, and stories that drive the world of sports.
He further mentioned that sports intersect with various industries, such as fashion, entertainment, media, health, gaming, and artworks. IP such as patents, designs, trademarks, and copyrights incentivize innovation and enable cross-industry connections with sports, sparking creativity, technological advancement, and economic growth.
The NCC D-G added that the 2026 edition of the Day was to celebrate how creativity and innovation backed by IP rights keep the world of sports thriving and accessible. He pointed out that sports today represent a convergence of creativity, technology, and commerce, with intellectual property, particularly copyright, lying at the heart of this intersection.
Asein reiterated the commission’s responsibilities for copyright administration, protection, and enforcement in Nigeria. He emphasized promoting awareness of the importance of copyright within the sports and creative industries by combating piracy and supporting rights holders to maximize the economic value of their works.
He also highlighted the alignment of this year’s celebration with Nigeria’s National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy (NIPPS), aimed at leveraging IP for national development. Asein urged stakeholders in the Nigerian IP ecosystem to visit the dedicated website of NIPPS to learn more about how to get involved and benefit from government initiatives.
Asein concluded by urging sports organizations, broadcasters, content creators, innovators, investors, policymakers, and the general public to respect and protect IP rights. He emphasized that protecting and respecting IP can help Nigeria build a thriving sports ecosystem that contributes to national development.
The event also featured NCC staff engaging in physical exercise and sports activities, such as football, designed to enhance physical fitness and health.