The Director General of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Dr. Barr. Obiageli Amadiobi has urged software developers, FinTechs, and banks to utilise and promote Nigerian-made software.
In a statement signed by the Deputy Director (PR) of NOTAP, Solomon Nshem, and made available to journalists, the DG issued this call at this year’s Texcellence Conference, organised by the leading Indigenous IT firm, Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) in Lagos, South West Nigeria.
As a panelist during the session on “Government Parastatals Conversation, Collaborative Innovation: Shaping Africa’s Tomorrow Economy,” the Director General emphasised the need to invest in Indigenous technology solutions to make the nation economically self-reliant and better positioned to compete in the global technology ecosystem.
While speaking on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), the NOTAP boss noted, “Most researchers, inventors, and innovators do not understand the concept of patenting, which explains why NOTAP has currently established 67 Intellectual Property Technology Transfer Offices (IPTTOs) in various universities, polytechnics, and research institutes across Nigeria to create the needed intellectual property rights awareness.”
She added that NOTAP’s recent call for stronger collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) was aimed at building the capacity of IPTTO managers so that researchers fully understand the concept of IPR and its benefits.
“NOTAP assists researchers, inventors, and innovators in evaluating their research findings and pays the patent fees for them at the Patent Registry domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.”
She encouraged software developers and FinTechs to ensure their innovations are protected by obtaining rights through patenting or copyright, as this would benefit them maximally.
The convener of the conference and Group Chief Executive Officer of the Computer Warehouse Group, Adewale Adeyipo, stated that the event is held annually to bring together Africa’s foremost innovators, technologists, business, and government leaders to explore the future of the continent’s digital transformation. The 2024 theme was “Revealing Tomorrow.”
Also Read: NOTAP Urges Inventors On Commercialisation Of Intellectual Property
Adeyipo, speaking on technology for economic growth and national development, opined that technology is influencing the categorisation of nations due to its impact on improving people’s lives daily.
“Africa must leverage technology to build its nations and embrace digital literacy. Partnership between the government and private sector is crucial in ensuring technology development in Africa.”
In his presentation, Fredrik Haren, globally known as the creativity explorer, remarked that Nigeria is a very confident and creative country and should harness this potential for the economic benefit of its people.
He said the most important skill in today’s world is creative thinking, and the only way to be successful is to embrace technology.
Haren revealed, “Your creativity reveals your tomorrow and your curiosity inspires your creativity,” noting that Africa should invest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a tool for increasing productivity since it is the most powerful tool for creativity.
The organiser of the conference, the Computer Warehouse Group, is among the Indigenous IT companies that gained prominence through the NOTAP Local Vendor Policy. This policy was born out of concern that over 90 percent of the software used in Nigeria, especially in the banking and other financial sectors, was being imported, leading to the urgent need for the enhancement of indigenous software development.
Participants at the conference unanimously emphasised the need for effective collaboration amongst all stakeholders as a way of fostering sustainable development of the technology ecosystem in Africa.
The 2024 Texcellence Conference is the third in the series, aimed at highlighting the latest advancements driving Africa’s digital economy and attracting stakeholders from various sectors of the economy in Nigeria and Africa.
