40+ New Statutes and Laws Now Available on the Legalnaija Bookstore

by Legalnaija | Sep 21, 2026 | Blawg

Meet the Faculty at CTL2026: Bernice Asein 

by Legalnaija | Sep 21, 2026 | Blawg

Meet the Faculty at CTL2026: Bernice Asein

Ms. Bernice Ofunre Asein, Esq. is the visionary founder and Executive Director of the Fashion Law Institute, the continent’s premier institution at the forefront of the intersection between fashion and law.  A staunch advocate for legal reforms, accountability, and research, Ms. Asein is dedicated to revolutionizing the African fashion industry through her innovative leadership.

As the Lead Counsel at Cardinal Counsel, a distinguished Lagos-based fashion law firm, Ms. Asein exemplifies excellence in addressing the legal needs of diverse stakeholders, including fashion brands, textile manufacturers, startups, fashion tech firms, investors, models, and influencers.

Her expertise spans intellectual property rights, startup and technology law, contract negotiation, finance, and employment law, making her a trusted advisor across the industry.

Ms. Asein’s influence has garnered significant recognition. She was recently nominated for the Future Awards Africa Prize for Law, celebrating her impact and leadership.

Her academic credentials include specialized training from the prestigious  Milano Fashion Institute in Milan, Italy, where she refined her expertise on a global stage. She also holds an LVMH Certificate in Operations & Supply Chain, Retail & Customer Experience, alongside certifications in intellectual property law from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Intellectual Property Institute of Nigeria. Furthermore, a certificate in tax law from the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria complements her diverse legal acumen.

Ms. Asein’s professional afiliations include membership in respected organizations such as the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN), the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, and the Nigerian Bar Association. She is currently advancing her academic and professional journey by pursuing an LL.M. at Babcock University and studying at the School of Politics, Policy, and Governance.An active speaker and facilitator at numerous industry events, training programs, and workshops, Ms. Asein’s contributions continue to shape the trajectory of fashion law in Africa and beyond. Her unwavering commitment to legal advocacy and industry development positions her as a transformative figure in both the fashion and legal landscapes.

Bernice will be speaking at the career training for lawyers in October. Register now and secure your seat via this link – https://selar.com/11h84v18ag

MEET THE FACULTY: Career Training for Lawyers 2026 — The Lawyer in the Creative Economy

by Legalnaija | Sep 16, 2026 | Blawg

The 2026 edition of the Career Training for Lawyers brings together six outstanding practitioners and industry leaders — each a recognised authority in their field. This is the faculty you learn from, not just a list of names.

MUSIC LAW
Yemisi Falaye | Vice President, Legal & Business Development, The Temple Company

Yemisi is one of Nigeria’s most influential entertainment lawyers, with over 20 years of legal experience. She currently leads legal and business development at The Temple Company, one of Nigeria’s foremost talent management firms. Before that, she headed the Entertainment Law Group at Dentons ACAS-Law — the largest law firm in Nigeria — where she built a client portfolio that reads like a who’s who of Nigerian music, including D’banj, Adekunle Gold, Kizz Daniel, Zlatan Ibile, Joeboy, Simi, Cuppy, Wande Coal, and many others. She brings two decades of deal-making, rights management, and artist representation to this session.

FILM LAW
Omotayo Inakoju | Head of Legal, EbonyLife Group

Omotayo is an Entertainment and Film Lawyer with over a decade of hands-on experience advising, structuring, and negotiating for the African entertainment ecosystem. As Head of Legal at EbonyLife Group — one of Africa’s most prominent media companies — she leads legal strategy across film, television, and streaming projects. If you want to understand how the biggest Nollywood deals get structured and what it takes to negotiate with global streaming platforms, this is the session you need.

FASHION LAW
Bernice Asein | Founder, Nigerian Fashion Law Institute & Cardinal Counsel

Bernice is a lawyer specialising in startup law, intellectual property, and fashion law, with over six years of legal practice and over nine years of experience in the fashion industry. She is the Lead Counsel at Cardinal Counsel and the founder of the Nigerian Fashion Law Institute — Africa’s first institution dedicated to the intersection of law and fashion. Bernice has worked with numerous fashion creatives, startups, and businesses, empowering them through legal frameworks, mentorship, and education. She sits at the frontier of law, policy, and creative innovation.

ART LAW
Adedunmade Onibokun | Managing Partner, AOC Solicitors

Adedunmade is a lawyer, author, and Managing Partner of Adedunmade Onibokun & Co. (AOC Solicitors). He specialises in Corporate Commercial Law and Art Law, advising artists, cultural institutions, and creative entrepreneurs on intellectual property, contracts, and regulatory matters. He has been appointed by the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy to two national policy review committees — the National Cultural Policy and the National Creative Economy Policy committees — bringing both practice and policy insight to this session.

GAMING & ESPORTS LAW
Oyiza Maleek | Gaming & Entertainment Law Practitioner

Oyiza Maleek, Esq. is a Legal Practitioner with specialized expertise in gaming and entertainment. She currently serves as the Head of Legal at Tradabets, where she oversees regulatory compliance, licensing obligations, governance structures, and adherence to statutory and regulatory requirements applicable to gaming operations. Oyiza has provided regulatory and compliance advisory services to gaming operators, supporting compliance with gaming legislation, regulatory guidelines, internal control systems, and reporting obligations.

SPORTS LAW
Abiodun Sonaike, Esq. | Partner & Co-founder, Lithos Legal Consult

Abiodun is a Corporate and Sports Law specialist with extensive experience in football regulation, player contracts, transfers, FIFA regulations, dispute resolution, and sports governance. He is a Partner and Co-founder of Lithos Legal Consult, Director of Legal of the Nigerian Youth Football Development League, and International Legal Adviser to Kanu International Football Academy (KIFA). He has appeared in celebrated football disputes, is a regular speaker at Sports Law events at Obafemi Awolowo University and the University of Lagos, and sits on the Executive Committee of the NBA-SBL Sports, Entertainment and Media Committee.

Six modules. Six experts. Two days. One training that could change the direction of your practice.

This is not a conference. It is a structured, practical masterclass designed to give you the knowledge, frameworks, and networks to build a practice in Africa’s creative economy.

📅 28th & 29th October, 2026
🕘 9:00am – 5:00pm daily
📍 NECA House, Hakeem Balogun Street, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos
💻 Also live on Zoom — attend from anywhere

REGISTRATION
Physical — ₦135,000 | Early Bird ₦100,000
Virtual — ₦85,000 | Early Bird ₦60,000

Early Bird ends 30th September, 2026
Secure your spot: https://selar.com/11h84v18ag

Payment: Lawlexis — Fidelity Bank, 4011176564

📞 09029755663 | 📧 lawlexisinternational@gmail.com | 📲 @lawlexisng

Organised by Lawlexis International — Career Training for Lawyers, since 2018.

Meet the Faculty at CTL2026: Yemisi Falaye

by Legalnaija | Sep 15, 2026 | Blawg

Meet the Faculty: Yemisi Falaye

We’re excited to introduce Yemisi Falaye, Entertainment Lawyer with over 20 years of experience, as faculty at CTL 2026: The Lawyer in the Creative Economy.

Yemisi Falaye is an Entertainment Lawyer with over 20 years legal experience. She currently works at The Temple Company as Vice President, Legal and Business Development departments of the company. Prior to joining The Temple Company, Yemisi headed the Entertainment Law Group of the largest law firm in Nigeria, Dentons ACAS-Law.

‘Yemisi has over the years garnered in-depth experience in providing premium legal advice and representation to individuals and organisations in the entertainment industries in Nigeria, which include film, music, theatre, art, television, radio, publishing and digital media.

Yemisi can proudly boast of working with large number of clients across the entertainment industry namely, Ini Edo, D’banj, Bisola Aiyeola, Zlatan Ibile, Joeboy, Adekunle Gold, Kizz Daniel, Lilo Aderogba, Tolani, Cuppy, Simi, Seyi Shay, Vector, Toke Makinwa, Chike, Young Jonn, Sola Sobowale, Wande Coal, Funke Akindele, Poco Lee, Bad Boy Timz, Ms. DSF amongst others. She is regarded as one of the most influential entertainment lawyers in Nigeria.

Asides entertainment law, ‘Yemisi also has a wide-range experience in Intellectual Property, Real Estate, Immigration and Company Secretarial matters in Nigeria.

She’s teaching at CTL 2026: The Lawyer in the Creative Economy. Real experience. Real insight.

📅 28–29 October 2026 | NECA House, Alausa, Ikeja + Zoom

🔗 Register — link in bio: https://selar.com/11h84v18ag

#CTL2026 #LawlexisNG #EntertainmentLaw #MeetTheFaculty #NigerianLawyers

Meet The Faculty At CTL2026: Abiodun Sonaike

by Legalnaija | Sep 8, 2026 | Blawg

Corporate & Sports Law Specialist | Partner, Lithos Legal Consult | Director of Legal, Nigerian Youth Football Development League

Abiodun Sonaike, Esq. is a Nigerian legal practitioner and Corporate and Sports Law specialist with extensive experience in football regulation, sports contracts, dispute resolution, corporate advisory, and sports governance.

He is a Partner and Co-founder of Lithos Legal Consult, a law firm with a strong focus on Corporate and Sports Law. He also serves as the Director of Legal of the Nigerian Youth Football Development League and as International Legal Adviser to Kanu International Football Academy (KIFA).

Called to the Nigerian Bar in 2015 after obtaining his LL.B. from the University of Abuja and his B.L. from the Nigerian Law School, Lagos Campus, Mr. Sonaike commenced his legal career at Afe Babalola & Co. and subsequently worked with Musibau Adetunbi & Co. from 2016 to 2017.

His Sports Law practice covers football player contracts and transfers, FIFA regulations, training compensation and solidarity contribution, football dispute resolution, academy structures, sports governance, and regulatory compliance. He has also worked alongside Mr. Tosin Akinyemi in the celebrated football dispute Anthony Chineme v. Nasarawa United & Ors.

Beyond legal practice, Mr. Sonaike is regularly invited as a Guest Speaker at Sports Law programmes, seminars, and academic events in universities, including Obafemi Awolowo University and the University of Lagos, both physically and virtually. He is also the Editor of The Mundial, the 2018 FIFA World Cup Magazine, and the Executive Director of Enterprise Law Forum, a legal podcast produced by Lithos Legal Consult for business professionals and entrepreneurs.

He is an Executive Committee Member of the Sports, Entertainment and Media Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL).

His professional interests lie at the intersection of Law, Football, Business, Governance and Sports Development, with a particular passion for using legal knowledge to strengthen the structure and sustainability of the sports industry.

Register for CTL 2026: The Lawyer in the Creative Economy

📅 Dates: 28–29 October 2026

📍 Venue: NECA House, Hakeem Balogun Street, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos

💻 Format: Hybrid — attend physically or join via Zoom

Pricing:

Physical: ₦135,000 (Early Bird ₦100,000)

Virtual: ₦85,000 (Early Bird ₦60,000)

Group discount: 10% off for 3 or more registrations from one organisation

Early Bird pricing ends 30 September 2026.

Register now:

https://selar.com/11h84v18ag

For enquiries, reach us at lawlexisinternational@gmail.com or @lawlexisng.

CTL 2026: Everything You Need to Know Before You Register

by Legalnaija | Sep 5, 2026 | Blawg

CTL 2026: Everything You Need to Know Before You Register

If you’ve been following along with our content but haven’t registered yet, this post is for you. Here’s a straightforward breakdown of everything you need to know about CTL 2026: The Lawyer in the Creative Economy — no guesswork required.

What Is CTL 2026?
CTL 2026 is the latest edition of Lawlexis International’s Career Training for Lawyers series, running since 2018. This year’s theme, “The Lawyer in the Creative Economy,” focuses on the legal frameworks shaping Nigeria’s fastest-growing industries: music, film, fashion, art, gaming, and sports.

Who Will Be Teaching?
CTL 2026 brings together a faculty of practitioners with direct, hands-on experience in the creative economy, including:
Yemisi Falaye (Temple Management) — Music Law
Omotayo Inakoju (Head of Legal, EbonyLife Group) — Film and Media Law
Maleek Oyiza — Gaming and Esports Law
Bernice Asein — Fashion Law
Abiodun Sonaike — Sports Law
Adedunmade Onibokun — Art Law

This is a lineup drawn from lawyers actively working inside the industries they’ll be teaching about — not just commenting on them from the outside.

Do I Have to Be in Lagos?
No. CTL 2026 is fully hybrid. You can attend physically at NECA House, Hakeem Balogun Street, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, or join the entire training virtually via Zoom — from anywhere, including outside Nigeria. We’ve already had lawyers registering from Ghana for the virtual session.

What Does It Cost?
Physical attendance: ₦135,000 (Early Bird ₦100,000)
Virtual attendance: ₦85,000 (Early Bird ₦60,000)
Early Bird pricing is available now and ends 30 September 2026. After that, standard pricing applies.

Is There a Discount for Groups?
Yes. If your organisation is sending 3 or more people, you get a 10% discount on registration. This applies whether you’re registering for physical or virtual attendance.

How Do I Pay?
You can register and pay directly online, or transfer to our account:
Fidelity Bank, Account 4011176564 — Account name: Lawlexis

What Will I Actually Learn?
Six modules, each addressing the practical legal issues lawyers are increasingly being asked to navigate:

Music Law — recording and distribution deals, royalties, sampling disputes, streaming contracts

Film Law — production financing, distribution and streaming licensing, co-production structures, IP protection

Fashion Law — trademark protection, design piracy, licensing and manufacturing agreements

Art Law — provenance, authentication, auction and sales agreements, artist rights

Gaming Law — esports contracts, in-game IP, streaming and sponsorship deals

Sports Law — player contracts, endorsement deals, sponsorship agreements

What Happens After I Register?
Once registered, you’ll receive confirmation details, including your access instructions for the physical venue or the Zoom link for virtual attendance closer to the event date. You’ll also receive a Lawlexis International certificate of attendance upon completion.

When Is It Happening?
📅 28–29 October 2026

Register Now
https://selar.com/11h84v18ag

Early Bird pricing ends 30 September 2026 — register now to lock in the lower rate.Questions? Reach us at lawlexisinternational@gmail.com or @lawlexisng.

Meet the Faculty: Omotayo Inakoju on Structuring Deals for Africa’s Content Boom

by Legalnaija | Sep 1, 2026 | Blawg

Africa’s content industry is having a moment. Nigerian films are landing global distribution deals. Streaming platforms are investing directly in local production. International studios are actively seeking African stories and African talent. But behind every one of these deals sits a lawyer who understands not just contract law, but the specific mechanics of how content gets financed, produced, licensed, and distributed across borders.

Omotayo Inakoju is one of those lawyers — and she’s joining CTL 2026: The Lawyer in the Creative Economy to teach the Film and Media Law module.

A Career Built Inside the Industry

Omotayo is an Entertainment and Film Lawyer with over a decade of hands-on experience advising, structuring, and negotiating for the African entertainment ecosystem. She currently serves as Head of Legal at EbonyLife Group, one of Africa’s most prominent media companies, where she leads legal strategy across film, television, and streaming projects.

In this role, she works directly with global studios and distributors — including Netflix, BBC Studios, Sony Pictures, FilmOne Entertainment, and Genesis Group — giving her a front-row view of how content distribution actually works in the digital age, not just how it’s described in textbooks.

Before joining EbonyLife, Omotayo began her career at Silverbird Communications, one of Nigeria’s pioneering television and media brands. There, she managed high-value partnerships, broadcast transactions, and cross-border collaborations — experience that laid the foundation for her deep understanding of media operations, regulatory compliance, and content exploitation at scale.

What She Brings to the Table

Across her career, Omotayo has distinguished herself through:

Strategic legal advisory for international and local film studios, streamers, producers, and talent

Drafting and negotiating complex film, broadcasting, and licensing agreements essential to modern content production and distribution

Guiding companies through compliance requirements spanning media, data, copyright, and digital distribution in an increasingly tech-driven ecosystem

Representing production companies and talent in high-stakes negotiations to close co-production, streaming, and financing deals

This is the kind of experience that can’t be taught from a textbook — it comes from sitting across the table during real negotiations with real global players, and understanding what actually moves a deal forward or breaks it.

A Vision for Africa’s Creative Economy

Omotayo is deeply invested in the future of Africa’s creative economy. She advocates for stronger legal and infrastructural frameworks to help African content compete globally — from IP management to distribution systems. Her conviction is straightforward: with the right legal structures in place, content can become one of the next major economic engines for African nations.

That perspective is exactly what CTL 2026 is designed to pass on to the next generation of lawyers serving this space.

What This Means for CTL 2026

At CTL 2026: The Lawyer in the Creative Economy, Omotayo will lead the Film and Media Law module — walking participants through the practical realities of structuring, negotiating, and protecting content deals in a rapidly evolving industry. This isn’t a theoretical overview; it’s a masterclass from someone who does this work daily, at the highest levels of the industry.

Whether you’re advising a producer on their first co-production deal, helping a studio navigate streaming licensing, or simply trying to understand how Nigeria’s film industry actually does business, this module is built to give you real, applicable expertise.

Register for CTL 2026: The Lawyer in the Creative Economy

Omotayo Inakoju is one of several leading practitioners teaching across six modules this October — Music Law, Film Law, Fashion Law, Art Law, Gaming Law, and Sports Law.

📅 Dates: 28–29 October 2026

📍 Venue: NECA House, Hakeem Balogun Street, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos

💻 Format: Hybrid — attend physically or join via Zoom

Pricing:

Physical: ₦135,000 (Early Bird ₦100,000)

Virtual: ₦85,000 (Early Bird ₦60,000)

Group discount: 10% off for 3 or more registrations from one organisation

Early Bird pricing ends 30 September 2026.

👉 Register now:

https://selar.com/11h84v18ag

For enquiries, reach us at lawlexisinternational@gmail.com or @lawlexisng.

Why Every Nigerian Lawyer Needs to Understand the Creative Economy

by Legalnaija | Aug 19, 2026 | Blawg

The numbers are impossible to ignore. Nigeria’s music exports are worth hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Nollywood is the second largest film industry in the world by volume. Nigerian athletes are signing endorsement deals worth tens of millions of naira. The fashion, gaming and art sectors are generating significant economic activity, attracting foreign investment and spawning entirely new categories of dispute, transaction and regulation.

And yet, most Nigerian lawyers have had no formal training in the legal frameworks that govern any of it.

That gap is exactly what Lawlexis International’s 2026 Career Training for Lawyers is designed to close.

What is the Creative Economy?

The creative economy encompasses industries whose value derives primarily from intellectual creativity and cultural output — music, film, fashion, visual art, gaming, sports, and increasingly, the digital ecosystems surrounding them. In Nigeria, these industries are not niche interests. They are mainstream economic drivers, generating employment, foreign exchange, and increasingly, high-stakes legal work.

From the Afrobeats artiste negotiating a global distribution deal, to the fashion label protecting its designs from counterfeit markets, to the esports company navigating Nigeria’s gaming regulation landscape — every actor in the creative economy eventually needs a lawyer. The question is whether that lawyer understands the terrain.

What the 2026 Training Covers

This year’s edition of the Career Training for Lawyers series — themed The Lawyer in the Creative Economy — runs across six modules, each designed to give practitioners both the theoretical framework and the practical deal-making knowledge they need:

Music Law unpacks the architecture of the Nigerian and global music business: how recording, publishing and distribution agreements are structured; how royalties flow through collective management organisations; what streaming economics mean for rights holders; and how disputes over sampling and copyright are resolved.

Film & Television Law takes practitioners inside the Nollywood-streaming economy — covering production and co-production agreements, chain of title, talent contracts, and what it means to license content to Netflix, Prime or Showmax.

Fashion Law addresses a sector that is often overlooked in legal training but is growing rapidly: trademark and design protection for fashion brands, how licensing and collaboration agreements work, and the increasingly complex world of influencer and brand ambassador contracts.

Art Law covers the full lifecycle of a work of art from a legal perspective — artist-gallery relationships, auction and authentication issues, resale rights, cultural property and restitution, and the emerging legal questions around NFTs and digital art.

Gaming & Esports Law introduces practitioners to one of the fastest-growing sectors in Africa: game development and publishing agreements, IP in game assets, esports player contracts, and how Nigeria’s legal framework treats the line between gaming and gambling.

Sports Law addresses athlete representation, image rights, endorsement structuring, sports arbitration, club governance and the intersection of sports and media rights.

Running through all six modules are three cross-cutting themes that touch every part of the creative economy: artificial intelligence and creative works, financing and tax incentives for creative ventures, and data protection for fan and customer-facing platforms.

Who Should Attend

The training is open to lawyers at all levels — from young practitioners building their practice areas to partners seeking to expand their firm’s offering. It is equally valuable for in-house counsel at creative companies, legal officers at media and entertainment organisations, and anyone who advises clients in the creative industries.

Practical Details

The training holds on Wednesday 28th and Thursday 29th October, 2026, running from 9:00am to 5:00pm daily. It is hybrid — attendees can join physically at NECA House, Hakeem Balogun Street, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, or virtually via Zoom.

Registration fees are ₦135,000 for physical attendance and ₦85,000 for virtual. Early bird rates of ₦100,000 (physical) and ₦60,000 (virtual) are available until 30th September, 2026. Firms registering three or more participants from the same organisation receive a 10% group discount.

Register here:

https://selar.com/11h84v18ag

For enquiries, contact Lawlexis International at lawlexisinternational@gmail.com or 09029755663.

Lawlexis International has been building the capacity of Nigerian lawyers since 2018 through the Career Training for Lawyers series. Past editions have covered Legal Advocacy, African Trade Law, Tech Law, Corporate Law, and Entertainment & Sports Law.

Unlock Your Practice Growth with Legalnaija Subscriptions

by Legalnaija | Aug 17, 2026 | Blawg

Unlock Your Practice Growth with Legalnaija Subscriptions

Choose the right plan to elevate your legal practice, enhance client visibility, and access essential resources tailored for legal professionals.

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Plan Benefits Breakdown

• Basic Subscriptions (Monthly & Yearly): Ideal for professionals seeking essential resources, granting access to a curated selection of 10 document templates.
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Need Help Registering?

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Geographical Indications(GIs); The Untapped Potential in Nigeria’s  Intelectual Property Ecosystem

by Legalnaija | Aug 14, 2026 | Blawg

Introduction

When you think of “Champagne,” it isn’t just sparkling wine that comes to mind—it’s a region in France, a centuries-old tradition, and a multi-billion dollar reputation. Now imagine the same potential for “Ofada Rice,” “Ijebu Garri,” or “Kilishi.” In a world where products are increasingly associated with the identity of place, Geographical Indications (GIs) have become one of the most powerful, yet underutilized, tools in the intellectual property (IP) arsenal—particularly for countries rich in cultural and agricultural heritage. Despite being a signatory to the TRIPS Agreement^[1], which outlines the minimum standards for GI protection, Nigeria lacks a comprehensive domestic legal framework to identify, register, or enforce GIs. This legislative vacuum does not just reflect a gap in law; it reflects a gap in national strategy—one that threatens our economic leverage, cultural sovereignty, and international IP credibility. This article explores the role of GIs within the broader IP ecosystem, Nigeria’s current legal posture, and the socio-economic opportunities we risk losing by not protecting our locally-rooted innovations. It also proposes a policy rethink—either the creation of a standalone GI law or the strategic integration of GI protections into Nigeria’s existing IP infrastructure.

What Are GIs & How Do They Differ from Other IP Rights

Geographical Indications (GIs) are a form of intellectual property protection that links the quality, reputation, or other characteristics of a product to its geographical origin. Unlike trademarks, which are tied to a particular business or entity, GIs belong to a community or region—they signify the collective identity of a product rooted in place. In practical terms, a GI protects not just a name, but the cultural story and environmental uniqueness of that product. The most famous examples are global symbols: Champagne (France), Roquefort cheese (France), Darjeeling tea (India), and Tequila (Mexico). What unites these products is that their commercial and reputational value stems from where and how they’re made. And legally, that origin is enforceable. In contrast, trademarks are source-identifiers for goods or services—used to distinguish one brand from another. A trademark can be owned, sold, licensed, or transferred. Patents, on the other hand, protect inventions and grant exclusive rights to the inventor for a fixed period. Copyright safeguards original works of authorship such as literature, art, or music. All these categories of IP focus on individual ownership, while GIs are inherently collective and location-based. Where GIs shine is in their power to preserve traditional knowledge, boost local economies, and prevent cultural appropriation. For instance, the global popularity of Moroccan Argan oil is safeguarded through GI recognition, ensuring only oil from designated Moroccan regions can use the name. Nigeria, with its own array of unique, origin-based products—from Nsukka yellow pepper to Aso Oke fabric—remains conspicuously silent in the GI arena, both legally and commercially.

Nigeria’s Lack of Legal Framework for GIs

Nigeria’s intellectual property system is primarily governed by three main legal instruments: the Trademarks Act, Patents and Designs Act, and the Copyright Act. Each provides specific protections for different forms of creativity and innovation. Yet, conspicuously missing from this legal framework is any dedicated statute or regulatory guideline for the recognition, registration, and protection of Geographical Indications. In practice, GIs in Nigeria are sometimes shoehorned into the trademark system, either as certification marks or collective marks. This workaround, while technically legal, is conceptually inadequate. GIs are not mere marks of origin; they are intrinsically tied to culture, heritage, and environment. Treating them as trademarks strips them of their deeper socio-economic and cultural value. Even more concerning is the fact that despite being a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and a signatory to the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) since 1995, Nigeria has yet to fully domesticate the GI-related provisions under Articles 22 to 24 of the Agreement. TRIPS obliges member states to ensure legal means for interested parties to prevent misuse of GIs and to promote fair competition by protecting region-based identifiers. Institutions like the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) have, over the past decade, partnered with international organizations like the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and WIPO to conduct mapping exercises on Nigeria’s potential GIs^[2]. Products such as Ijebu Garri, Nsukka Yellow Pepper, and Fura de Nunu have been spotlighted in reports—yet these remain recommendations, not enforceable designations. Even the National GI Policy Draft released in collaboration with WIPO has stalled in implementation, with no legislative follow-through to date^[3]. These efforts, while commendable, reflect the broader Nigerian IP culture: policy without power. The gap is not just legal—it’s strategic. Without a GI law, Nigerian producers are exposed to exploitation, misappropriation, and loss of premium value in international markets. Countries with far less cultural and agricultural depth have harnessed GI protection to build billion-dollar export industries. Nigeria, on the other hand, still exports its cultural gold under generic labels, missing out on the real value chain.

Comparative Case Studies — Nigerian Potentials vs International Models

To truly appreciate what Nigeria is missing, it helps to look outward—to nations that have embedded Geographical Indications into their economic and cultural playbooks. A standout case is India, which enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act in 1999^[4]. The country has since registered over 400 GIs, including the globally respected Darjeeling tea, Basmati rice, and Mysore silk. Beyond protecting local producers, these registrations have created export premiums, rural job opportunities, and a global identity for Indian-origin products. Similarly, the European Union has a comprehensive GI regime^[5] that links product labeling, origin, and quality. Products like Feta cheese (Greece), Prosciutto di Parma (Italy), and Roquefort cheese (France) command significant global market shares and are legally protected against imitation under EU and international laws. In many of these cases, the GI recognition has directly influenced the global branding of the countries themselves. In stark contrast, Nigeria’s most identity-rich products remain legally undefined. Ofada rice, for instance, is marketed in Lagos restaurants and UK-based African stores alike, but there’s no regulatory clarity on what qualifies as “Ofada.” Without GI protection, any vendor—anywhere—can slap the name on any rice variety, diluting its heritage and misleading consumers. The same applies to Ijebu garri, which is famed for its sharp taste and fine grain. It has no formal recognition as a GI despite its unique processing method and regional legacy. Worse still, global Nigerian food vendors can use the name without sourcing from Ijebu or meeting any quality controls. The name travels, but the value doesn’t. Even Kilishi, the sun-dried, spice-laden beef snack synonymous with Northern Nigeria, has gained international popularity without formal protection. In 2021, Nigerian diaspora communities in Canada and the UK were already seeing knockoff versions labeled “Kilishi-style jerky”—products often produced without traditional methods or ingredients. These examples underscore a painful truth: Nigeria has exported identity, but not ownership. Without a GI regime, our cultural products remain globally exploitable but legally defenceless.

The Economic and Developmental Power of GIs

The conversation around Geographical Indications isn’t just legal—it’s deeply economic. At its core, GI protection allows countries to extract full value from their cultural and natural resources, especially in rural and artisanal economies. This is where Nigeria has the most to gain, and the most to lose.In countries like India and Morocco, GIs have served as powerful tools for poverty reduction, brand elevation, and rural empowerment. For example, following the GI registration of Pochampally Ikat fabric in India, local weavers experienced a sharp rise in both visibility and pricing power, resulting in increased wages and export opportunities. Morocco’s protection of Argan oil under a GI scheme has helped build sustainable livelihoods for thousands of rural women in cooperatives. For Nigeria, the potential is arguably larger. Our cultural exports—from food and spices, to textiles, leatherwork, and traditional beverages—already command loyalty among diasporic and international markets. However, in the absence of GI protections, middlemen and offshore manufacturers often reap the profits, while local producers remain invisible and underpaid. This is especially critical in the context of Nigeria’s long-running dependence on crude oil exports. For decades, national conversations around diversification have focused on agriculture and manufacturing, but without attention to how IP tools can unlock global competitiveness. GIs offer an intangible yet powerful bridge between local production and international trade value. If we protect and brand our unique products, we don’t just sell raw commodities—we sell identity. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)^[6] makes this conversation even more urgent. As intra-African trade opens up, countries with protected and branded local goods will gain dominance in cross-border markets. Nigeria risks being a supplier of raw goods, while nations with GI protections become the sellers of finished, branded products. Without a GI framework, we may once again play the role of exporter-without-value. Even from a tourism and national branding perspective, GIs can reinforce identity and pride. Imagine packaging “Ijebu Garri” or “Abakaliki Rice” as global delicacies protected under Nigerian law—much like Parmigiano-Reggiano is protected in Italy. That’s more than semantics; it’s policy-backed positioning on the world stage. From boosting farmer income and job creation, to attracting foreign markets and protecting our narrative, GIs are more than economic instruments—they’re development levers. And yet, the silence in our law books remains deafening.

Conclusion & Legal Recommendations

Nigeria stands at a crucial crossroads in its intellectual property evolution^[7]. While we have made modest progress in trademarks, copyright, and patents, the gaping void in GI protection is no longer excusable—it is strategically unsound, economically costly, and culturally negligent. We are a nation of origin-rich products. From the artistry of Akwete cloth to the distinct flavor of Kilishi, we possess what many nations try to fabricate—authenticity. But authenticity without legal protection is exploitation waiting to happen.

To reverse this trajectory, three key interventions are necessary:

1. Enactment of a Standalone GI Legislation:

Nigeria must urgently introduce a Geographical Indications (Registration and Protection) Act, similar to India’s model. This legislation should define GIs, set up a national registry, establish quality control frameworks, and empower producers’ cooperatives to own and enforce these rights.

2. Strategic Integration with Existing IP Infrastructure:

Pending new legislation, the Trademarks Registry under NIPO should work with stakeholders to create clearer provisions and guidelines for certification and collective marks that function more like GIs. While this is not ideal, it can serve as a legal stopgap.

3. National GI Sensitization and Mapping:

There should be deliberate national and regional efforts to educate local producers, identify GI candidates, and standardize quality protocols. These efforts should not just live in WIPO report^[8]—they should be funded, legislated, and domestically driven. The time for pilot projects is over. The global IP landscape is not waiting for Nigeria to figure it out. As AfCFTA reshapes trade dynamics, countries that legally protect their local identity will sell it. Others will simply supply it. Geographical Indications are not a luxury—they are a legal necessity for cultural dignity,economic growth, and strategic international competitiveness. The ball is firmly in our court. Whether we choose to legislate or continue to label generically is a question of whether we’re ready to own what we already possess.

^[1] Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), April 15, 1994, Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization, Annex 1C.

^[2] NEPC & WIPO, Identification of Potential Geographical Indications in Nigeria: A Preliminary Report, 2021.

^[3] World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), “Geographical Indications: An Introduction,” WIPO Publication No. 952(E), 2020.

^[4] Indian Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 (India).

^[5] European Commission, “EU Geographical Indications,” https://ec.europa.eu.

^[6] African Union, Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), 2018.

^[7] Olwan, R. M., Intellectual Property and Development: Theory and Practice, Springer, 2013, pp. 112–120.

^[8] Nigerian Export Promotion Council, “Mapping Nigeria’s Unique Products for GI Registration,” https://nepc.gov.ng.

A. E. Alabi, Esq. is an intellectual property lawyer with a keen interest in the intersection of law, innovation, technology, and the creative economy. His work focuses on helping businesses and creators identify, protect, and maximize the value of their intellectual assets while contributing to conversations on emerging issues in copyright, trademarks, artificial intelligence, and regulatory policy. He is passionate about developing practical legal frameworks that strengthen innovation and position intellectual property as a driver of economic growth.