Overview
The international dimension of intellectual property is increasingly important today. Intellectual property rights carry growing weight in most countries because of their significant impact on social and economic life. Protecting these rights is imperative, as it incentivises creators and inventors to contribute to the development of society.
In a bid to secure intellectual property rights, various countries have enacted diverse legislation. In Nigeria, the relevant laws include the Copyright Act 2022, the Patents and Designs Act, the Trademarks Act, the Merchandise Marks Act, and the Trade Malpractices (Miscellaneous Offences) Act. The essence of these laws is to combat violations such as piracy, counterfeiting and other forms of infringement of individual intellectual works.
Several countries have enacted laws tailored to their specific economic needs, and these laws differ from one jurisdiction to another. It is therefore imperative to protect foreign works in Nigeria to prevent situations of cross-border breach.
