The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has commissioned its 68th Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO) at Plateau State Polytechnic, Barkin Ladi, Plateau State.
The commissioning ceremony, held at the institution, marked another milestone in NOTAP’s ongoing effort to promote innovation and protect intellectual property assets in the Nigerian academic and research landscape.
Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NOTAP, Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi, stated that the initiative aims to address the longstanding gap in IP culture within Nigerian knowledge institutions. She explained that the IPTTOs, first introduced in 2006 in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), are designed to help transform academic research into commercially viable products and services.
Dr. Amadiobi noted that despite NOTAP’s primary role in regulating foreign technology inflow through Technology Transfer Agreements, the agency is equally focused on encouraging the development of indigenous technologies. She observed that Nigerian institutions have been rich in research but poor in commercialization, leading to numerous innovations lying idle due to a lack of IP protection and strategy.
Emphasizing the critical role of IPR in economic growth, she pointed out that universities and polytechnics in more advanced economies generate significant revenue through IP assets, contributing meaningfully to national GDPs. She called on Nigerian institutions to emulate this by engaging in market-oriented research rather than limiting efforts to academic publications.
The DG encouraged Plateau State Polytechnic and the surrounding Barkin Ladi community to take full advantage of the newly commissioned IPTTO. She reiterated that NOTAP offers free patenting services for eligible research outputs, and added that intellectual property, though intangible, is a valuable asset when properly protected.
Dr. Amadiobi also highlighted that over 340 patents have been secured by Nigerian researchers through NOTAP’s support at no cost, and she challenged the Polytechnic to feature prominently in future IPTTO performance rankings.
Welcoming guests to the event, Rector of Plateau State Polytechnic, Dr. Clement Selchum, expressed appreciation to NOTAP for establishing the IPTTO at the institution. He said the decision reflects the commitment of the current administration to fostering a culture of research, innovation, and industry collaboration. He described the IPTTO as a strategic bridge between academic knowledge and industrial application, adding that the office would encourage collaborative research and technological advancement within the region.
Delivering a paper on “Intellectual Property Assets Management,” Mrs. Caroline Anie-Osuagwu, Director of Technology Acquisition and Research Coordination (TARC) at NOTAP, explained that IP assets – including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets – are powerful tools that can be monetized globally. She urged researchers to take ownership of their innovations, protect them, and pursue demand-driven research to unlock financial and social value.
The establishment of the IPTTO in Plateau State Polytechnic marks a strategic investment in Nigeria’s knowledge economy and further strengthens the country’s journey toward building a robust, innovation-led intellectual property ecosystem.
