September 30, 2022

The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) said it established 62 Intellectual Property Technology Transfer Offices (IPTTOs) in selected Universities, Polytechnics and Research Institutions in Nigeria.

The Director-General (DG) of the agency, Dr. DanAzumi Ibrahim stated this on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.

The NOTAP boss said that one of the missions of NOTAP was to promote qualitative original research through sensitization and foster strong collaboration between university and industry through the establishments of IPTTO.

According to him, the establishment of IPTTO’s was aimed at providing patents’ registration, promoting robust patent policy, driving commercialization of products of patents and innovations for sound economic rewards.

“Establishing IPTTO’s is to promote interaction and linkage between universities, research institutions and industries.

The IPTTO is designed to develop a robust intellectual Property Rights portfolio through patenting, copyright, technology licensing; to support the Institution’s initiative in developing patent culture.

“It will facilitate the utilization of the Intellectual Property(IP) system in Tertiary Institutions and also serve as a source of technology information and a source of generating wealth and income,’’ Ibrahim said.

He added that 65 percent of patent certificates released by the Patents’ Registry in recent times came through NOTAPs intervention in assisting researchers file and patent their inventions and innovations free of charge.

“ NOTAP was established 30 years ago to regulate the inflow of foreign technology into the country and motivate indigenous technology development.

“We have developed several programmes and projects to ensure technological growth in Nigeria among which was the establishment of IPTTO’s to also boost emergence of patents from Nigerian researchers

“NOTAP is also upgrading research laboratories facilities of knowledge institutions with the support of Industry,’ Ibrahim said.

The D-G said that NOTAP was passionate about the development of Africa and frowned at the continuous reliance of the country on imported technologies.

He said that this informed the agency’s deliberate policies to build the capacity of indigenous researchers. (NAN)