The Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation Project in Africa (AfrIPI), in partnership with the Africa International Trade and Commerce Research (AITCR) and the IP First Group, hosted the “National Conference on Creating Legal and Institutional Frameworks for Geographical Indications” in Nigeria on 17 and 18 February 2022.
Background: Conference Programme
The concept of Geographical Indications (GIs) has been widely embraced in most of today’s advanced economies. As a result, many GI products have become national treasures for many economies as they represent the value and quality of the country’s unique local agricultural, crafts or manufactured products. Champagne (France), Scotch Whisky (United Kingdom), Swiss Watches (Switzerland), Thai Silk (Thailand), Kampot pepper (Cambodia) and Florida Oranges (United States of America) are examples of globally renowned geographical indications products.
While Nigeria is endowed with an abundant supply of products that may fall under the definition of GIs –Ijebu garri, Kilishi of Northern Nigeria, Nsukka Yellow pepper, and many more – none of those names have been officially registered nationally or internationally.
Yet, international, regional and national legislative frameworks protect GIs under a wide range of tools such as laws against unfair competition, consumer protection laws, laws for the protection of collective or certification marks and/or stand-alone laws for geographical indications (sui generis laws). In the absence of a specific legal framework, unique Nigerian products and associated denominations are more vulnerable to misappropriation of their cultural heritage. Like Champagne (France), Poivre de Penja (Cameroon), Cabrito de Tete (Mozambique) and Argane (Morocco), these Nigeria GIs products could benefit the Nigerian economy in terms of revenue and employment creation.
To further Nigeria’s objectives in this area, a capacity building workshop was organised in Nigeria by Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation in Africa project (AfrIPI project) at Transcorp Hilton (22 April 2021) with the support of the EU delegation in Nigeria, the Nigerian Trade Mark Registry under the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the Africa International Trade & Commerce Research (AITCR) and the IP First Group.
The workshop gathered policymakers, influencers, and legal practitioners with the aim of identifying stakeholders who will be willing to participate in the drafting of a sui generis legislation to support and protect Nigerian GIs.
On this occasion, a high-level task force/technical working group of was formed to review existing laws treaties and, drive the process of establishing the GI legal system for Nigeria and make recommendations on what will be required. The First meeting of the Technical Working Group (TWG) was virtual and scheduled on Thursday 09 September 2021. To ease the collaboration of the task force/TWG, the participants were divided into 3 groups, comprising of nothing less than four members each per group: Group A: Africa, Group B: Asia, Group C: EU. Each sub-group were given all the resources that they needed to carry out their task. Each sub-group was expected to share their progress report with the secretariat and later with the whole group. The second meeting was a physical meeting and the last was online.
To present the outcomes of this process, AfrIPI is hosting a conference at Transcorp Hilton on 17-18 February 2022. Titled “National Conference on creating legal and institutional frameworks for Geographical Indication in Nigeria”, this conference will examine the key items of the draft law on GIs proposed by the working group and raise pending issues to the relevant policymakers. In addition, the importance of GIs for the Nigerian economy and in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and a roadmap to eventually adopt the law in the Nigerian system will be discussed. Nigerian potential geographical indications products will be exhibited.
