Nigeria’s intellectual property landscape is moving beyond the registration of rights towards stronger policy coordination, commercialisation and enforcement. Two developments in particular are significant: the implementation of the National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy (NIPPS) 2025–2030 and the launch of a dedicated IP Benchbook for the Nigerian Judiciary.

In June 2026, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), in collaboration with the Nigerian judiciary, launched Intellectual Property Adjudication in Nigeria, a new volume in WIPO’s Intellectual Property Benchbook Series. The publication is the first national contribution from Sub-Saharan Africa to the Series and was developed with the National Judicial Institute and the Nigerian judiciary.

The Benchbook is designed to provide practical guidance on the judicial management of IP disputes within the Nigerian legal framework. It covers the different stages of IP adjudication and is intended to support judicial education, consistency in decision-making and a stronger understanding of IP principles. Its development followed judicial training conducted with Nigerian judges in April 2025.

This is significant because the commercial value of an IP right depends not only on obtaining the right, but also on the ability to enforce it effectively when infringements occur. For businesses whose value is built around brands, technology, creative works, designs or other intangible assets, improvements in IP adjudication can strengthen the broader enforcement environment.

The policy side is developing in parallel. In November 2025, Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council approved the National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy 2025–2030, developed with WIPO support. The NIPPS is intended to provide a unified framework for the protection and commercialisation of IP in Nigeria, with objectives including strengthening IP institutions, improving the generation and protection of IP rights, facilitating commercial exploitation and technology transfer, strengthening enforcement, and promoting IP education and awareness.

Implementation of the NIPPS was a major focus of WIPO Director General Daren Tang’s June 2026 visit to Nigeria. Discussions with Nigerian government officials included innovation financing, commercialisation of local technology, branding of Nigerian products and the potential use of IP as collateral. WIPO also highlighted the role of IP in supporting startups, MSMEs, creators and Nigeria’s technology and creative sectors.

Implication for Clients

The direction of travel is important. IP is increasingly being positioned not simply as a legal right to be registered, but as an economic asset that can support investment, technology transfer, commercialisation and business growth.

Businesses should therefore consider IP protection at an earlier stage of their commercial planning. This includes identifying valuable IP, establishing clear ownership, documenting IP created by employees and contractors, protecting brands and technology appropriately, maintaining IP portfolios and considering opportunities for licensing or commercialisation.

The strengthening of judicial capacity is equally important. A valuable IP portfolio is only as effective as the mechanisms available to protect and enforce it. The combination of a national IP strategy and stronger judicial resources therefore has implications not only for IP practitioners, but for businesses seeking to build and commercialise intangible assets in Nigeria.