Experts to Convene on Issues Regarding Counterfeiting

A Consultative Roundtable on Counterfeiting will be organised by the Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation Project in Africa (AfriPl) and hosted in Nigeria.

A statement made available to journalists yesterday explained that one of the objectives of the forum is to raise awareness of the dangers of counterfeiting and piracy and increase respect for intellectual property rights.

It will be recalled that previous studies by international organisations such as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development have revealed that African countries are targeted destinations for counterfeit goods such as pharmaceuticals, foods, and beverages.

Key economies in Africa, such as Nigeria, must assume a leading role in raising awareness and acting against the counterfeiting of intellectual property rights (IPR).

Counterfeit products can threaten consumers’ health and, in some cases, lives. Serious dangers have been linked to counterfeit products ingested by consumers (food, drink, medicines) or put directly on the skin (cosmetics, fragrances).

Other examples of dangerous counterfeit goods include counterfeit pesticides, which can be harmful to the environment as well as pose serious health risks to people, or fake car batteries, which can again cause serious health, safety, and environmental damage.

Some of the most frequent consequences of using fakes are biological, chemical, and physical injuries, strangulation, choking, burns, electric shock, fire, or damage to hearing, just to mention a few. it is therefore important to combat the distribution of counterfeit goods in Nigeria as it is essential to protect society, the economy, and the environment from the threats they pose.

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As a result, the Consultative Roundtable on Counterfeiting in Nigeria will be devoted to exchanging knowledge, ideas, and experience on the socio-economic implications of counterfeiting and IPR infringement.

It will also focus on IPR enforcement and seek solutions to the problems raised. The event will cover counterfeiting and piracy in various industries, that include the film industry (Nollywood), pharmaceuticals, alcohol trade, and agriculture.

The objectives of the Consultative Roundtable will be:

• To raise awareness of the dangers of counterfeiting and piracy and increase respect for intellectual property rights;
• To provide a platform for international experts to discuss trends, challenges, and best practices in IPR enforcement to curb counterfeiting;
• To provide a platform for IPR enforcement stakeholders to share their experience and best practice in IPR enforcement matters;
• To establish networks among participants to support, facilitate and coordinate IPR enforcement and strengthen their efforts and systems to detect, deter and punish the trafficking of counterfeit goods.

Among some of the key stakeholders who will attend the round table is the Delegation of the European Union to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the World Intellectual Property Organization (Nigeria Office), the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, INTERPOL and Africa International Trade and Commerce Research.