INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Nigeria Special 301 - Agency Merger Strengthens Ipr

Published: Tue 15 May 2007 12:46 PM
VZCZCXRO5559
PP RUEHCD
DE RUEHUJA #0942/01 1351246
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 151246Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9505
INFO RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS PRIORITY 6851
RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 0333
RUEHCD/AMCONSUL CIUDAD JUAREZ 0329
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000942
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
TREASURY FOR DPETERS
DEPARTMENT PASS TO USTR (AGAMA)
USDOC FOR 3317/ITA/OA/KBURRESS
USDOC FOR 3130/USFC/OIO/ANESA/DHARRIS
E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: ECON KIPR ETRD NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA SPECIAL 301 - AGENCY MERGER STRENGTHENS IPR
REF: A. STATE 56573
B.ABUJA 683
1. Summary. The Nigerian government (GON) was
pleased to hear that Nigeria was not placed on the
U.S. Special 301 watch list. The merger of the
Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and Department of
Commercial Law of the Federal Ministry of Commerce
will improve the IPR situation in Nigeria. Nigerian
officials hope that U.S. companies and the USG will
provide more assistance. End Summary.
.
SPECIAL 301 REPORT
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.
2. On May 10, 2007 EconOff met with Adebambo Adewopo,
the new Director-General of the recently established
Nigerian Intellectual Property Commission (NIPCOM) to
deliver reftel demarche regarding Nigeria's omission
from the Special 301 watch list. Adewopo expressed appreciation for
the USG decision and said that he
appreciated USG support to Nigeria on IPR. He said
that in his two years at the helm of the Nigerian
Copyright Commission (NCC), he had worked tirelessly
to convince the Nigerian government (GON) and the
public of the importance of IPR to Nigeria's economic
development. The NCC had made progress in engaging
the public. He had spent more than 17 years on IPR as
a professor and Dean at Lagos State University and as an IP lawyer.
3. Adewopo hoped that the U.S. would continue to
assist Nigeria. He commented that IPR was not a
priority within the GON leadership, but that he led a
small, committed group within the GON. He said the
U.S decision not to place Nigeria on the Special 301
list would aid him in the inter-agency battle to
maintain support for IPR programs.
.
NIPCOM
------
.
4. President Obasanjo recently created NIPCOM to
serve as Nigeria's preeminent IPR regulatory and
enforcement agency. The NCC absorbed the Patent
Registry of the Department of Commercial Law of the
Federal Ministry of Commerce. Adewopo was moved from
Director General (DG) of the NCC to DG of NIPCOM.
NIPCOM has more than 500 employees and expects to
grow. Adewopo considers the merger good progress and
believes it will help improve the IPR situation in
Nigeria. He cautioned that NIPCOM had human and
technical capacity deficiencies. Only in a third of
the country did NIPCOM have even the minimum staffing
and equipment. NIPCOM had enhanced powers to
implement stiffer penalties, and expanded inspector
rights and he expected more seizures and improved
coordination within the GON.
U.S. SUPPORT NEEDED
-------------------
6. Adewopo contended that U.S. companies and the USG
should provide more assistance. He underscored that
many IPR violations in Nigeria were of U.S. products
and that the U.S. had much to gain by further helping
NIPCOM. Because Nigeria was the largest market in
Africa, USG assistance could have a large impact.
Adewepo said that if we put some of the concerns
expressed in message regarding Nigeria and the 301
were presented in writing it would help make the case
for more resources and attention for IPR in the
interagency process. Post is preparing a letter based
on reftel to address this request.
.
COMMENT
-------
.
7. Adewopo was genuinely thankful that Nigeria was
not on the Special 301 list. He understood that the
situation could change for 2008 if NIPCOM and the GON
did not make further strides. The creation of NIPCOM
is a sign of progress. However, NCC's budget was
slashed more than 50% in 2007. Adewopo expected
supplementary funds in 2007 would be forthcoming and
ABUJA 00000942 002 OF 002
that the cut was more a budget oversight than a case
of the GON deemphasizing IPR.
CAMPBELL
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