The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) recently recognized outstanding Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Offices (IPTTO) in Nigeria with awards, aiming to propel the country’s economic advancement.
Mrs. Idoreyin Imiyoho, the acting Director General of NOTAP, emphasized that the establishment of IPTTOs across Nigerian knowledge institutions resulted from a collaborative effort between NOTAP and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) based in Geneva, Switzerland.
The initiative seeks to raise awareness among Nigerian knowledge institutions about the significance of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and the imperative to undertake market-driven research as opposed to traditional approaches.
Mrs. Imiyoho further stated NOTAP’s commitment to establishing IPTTOs in all Nigerian Universities, Polytechnics, and Research establishments.
“The world economy is driven and sustained by knowledge therefore as a regulatory agency saddled with the responsibility of regulating the inflow of foreign technologies through the registration of technology transfer agreements,” he said.
During the award presentation, Mrs. Anie Caroline Osuagwu, representing the Acting Director General of NOTAP and Director of Technology Acquisition and Research Coordination, bestowed a cash reward of N500,000 upon the University of Port-Harcourt for emerging as the top winner.
The Universities of Lagos and Ilorin were also honored, receiving N300,000 and N200,000 respectively. Mrs. Osuagwu emphasized the importance of ranking IPTTOs nationwide to stimulate demand-driven research and elevate Nigeria’s status among technologically independent nations.
Professor Mary Pascal Iwundu, Director of IPTTO at UniPort and an awardee, commended NOTAP for acknowledging the contributions of researchers in the country during her acceptance speech. UniPort’s achievement surpassed 47 other research institutions, securing its position as the leading IPTTO in Nigeria.
