WIPO partners NCC, NJI to train judges on intellectual property

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in collaboration with Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and the National Judicial Institute(NJI) yesterday held a Practical Continuing Education Program on Intellectual Property(IP) for Judges in Nigeria.
Our Correspondent gathered that members of the bench drawn from across Nigeria and Dons of law were present during the opening of the training at the NJI in Abuja.
The organisers said the training was part of WIPO’s Pilot Project for Nigeria, Lebanon, Costa Rica and Nepal, with series of programs designed to properly equip Judges in the adjudication of IP cases.
The module of the two-day training was designed to cover Copyright and Related Rights, Undisclosed Information, Trade Marks, Patents and Industrial Design issues.
Mr Afam Ezekude, Director General of NCC, in his address, said that Intellectual Property (IP) was developing at such pace that no judiciary anywhere in the world can discharge its mandate without periodic refresher courses.
“The main aim of this workshop is to refresh and educate Nigerian Judges on IP matters so that they can be well positioned on the adjudication of such cases.
“It is important that with the fast-growing pace of Intellectual Property and the knowledge economy,that we from time to time refresh the knowledge of our Judges.
“So they will be able to arrive at sound decisions whenever they are handling IP cases, that can be precedence for other cases in future,” he said.