NIGERIA: COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARK OFFICIALS DESIRE MORE USG

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ABUJA 002177 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT PASS TO USTR-AGAMA AND GARDE; PTO FOR HICKEY TREASURY FOR PETERS, IERONIMO AND HALL DOC FOR 3317/ITA/OTA/OA/BURRESS AND 3130/USFC/OIO/ANESA/HARRIS DOJ FOR MKOUAME LOC FOR USCO PPINHA AID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KIPR EINV ETRD ECON EAID NI SUBJECT: NIGERIA: COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARK OFFICIALS DESIRE MORE USG ASSISTANCE REF: A. ABUJA 2146 ¶B. LAGOS 405 ¶C. ABUJA 1364 ¶D. ABUJA 1039 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. During the USG Intellectual Property Working Group (IPWG) October 27-28 visit to Abuja, Nigerian intellectual property rights officials expressed appreciation for USG technical assistance (TA). The goal of the visit was to hear from GON agencies on progress and steps taken since the IP digital video conference in April 2008. It appears that lack of institutional will is the main problem at the Nigerian Copyrights Commission (NCC) hampering efforts to boost enforcement activities and prosecutions. The Trademarks, Patent and Designs Registry of the Nigerian Ministry of Commerce and Industry has leveraged USG technical assistance (TA) to transform its effectiveness and to gain additional resources from the Ministry. In-fighting regarding draft legislation hampers inter-agency cooperation and effectiveness, but is unlikely to go away. This is the first of two reporting cables on the visit. End summary. ¶2. (U) On October 27 and 28, 2008 the IPWG met with Nigerian IP officials to discuss progress in protecting IP. The framework for these ongoing discussions is the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) between Nigeria and the U.S. The IPWG was led by Tanuja Garde of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and included Carrie LaCrosse of EEB/TPP/IPE and Tim Browing of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). On October 27 the IPWG met with the NCC and the Trademarks, Patent and Designs Registry of the Nigerian Ministry of Commerce and Industry. On October 28 the IPWG met with the Nigerian Customs Service, the Standards Organization of Nigeria, the President of the Performing Musicians Employer's Association of Nigeria, the Economic Section Chief of the European Commission and the Lead Economist for the World Bank in Nigeria. The October 28 meetings will be reported in septel. . Nigerian Copyrights Commission Update -------------- . ¶3. (SBU) The IPWG met with Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) Director General Adebambo Adewopo, who commended the USG for collaborating with the NCC since 2006, especially in providing opportunities for his staff to participate in training programs at the Global Intellectual Property Academy (GIPA) hosted by USPTO in Alexandria Virginia (reftel D),and various other training workshops sponsored by the USPTO, Department of Commerce Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) (reftel C),and the U.S. Department of Justice (reftel B). He stated that the training programs have helped improve the skills and knowledge of his officials, and also provided the foundation for inter-agency cooperation among GON IP agencies. He stressed that the training received between 2007 and 2008 will surely lead to better enforcement of IP in 2009. ¶4. (SBU) Adewopo stated that IP enforcement in Nigeria remains an uphill task but the NCC is doing its best to combat IP piracy. He said that funding remains a challenge but the NCC has been assured that it will receive the same appropriation as in the 2008 federal budget. He reported the NCC is collaborating with various IP stakeholders, such as the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, to enhance NCC investigations. ¶5. (SBU) On enforcement, Adewopo commented that the NCC has only five lawyers handling prosecutions nationwide. He claimed that the judiciary has not been very helpful because cases drag in the courts and defendants employ various tactics such as challenging the jurisdiction of the court to handle the cases in order to delay court processes. ¶6. (SBU) Adewopo said the NCC recently understood that some presumed stakeholders in the IP industry that had been collaborating with the NCC later turned out to be IP infringers. Specifically some of these "stakeholders" have invested in optical disc plants to support pirating. ¶7. (SBU) On capacity building, Adewopo confirmed the World Bank (WB) is providing funding for training and the creation of a copyrights training institute within the NCC. At least 60 NCC officials will undergo investigative training supported by the WB and led by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) trainers. He also ABUJA 00002177 002 OF 003 reported that the NCC through the recently established copyrights training institute is providing training on IP at the National Police College, and there are plans to include the Nigerian Customs Service Training Academy. The WB is also funding NCC's 2009-2011 medium strategy. Adewopo promised to provide IPWG with a copy of the final medium-term strategy. ¶8. (SBU) On public awareness, Adewopo said that the NCC is currently airing a five minute documentary on IP protection on Africa Independent Television, the largest private television station in Nigeria. There are also plans to conduct road shows nationwide especially to educational institutions to increase IP awareness. ¶9. (SBU) The IPWG expressed disappointment with reports of low interagency turnout to the training sessions conducted by the USG (Copyright Office and the DOJ) and noted the concern that NCC played a role in this. Director for Planning, Research and Statistics Olusegun Adekunle responded that it was a misunderstanding. The IPWG also raised the possibility of an action plan with an annex listing benchmarks specific to NCC activities. Adewopo agreed that this was a way forward and promised to provide the USG with a copy of the medium term-strategy to use a basis for those benchmarks. ¶10. (SBU) Comment: When DepEconChief questioned Adewopo regarding the lack of communications with the Embassy regarding supposed successful investigations and prosecutions, the Director General expressed "shock" that the USG was unaware of NCC's numerous successes. Since 2006, DepEconChief has repeatedly requested information that supports the NCC's claims and refutes reports from industry and other GON agencies about the NCC's lack of progress. Adewopo promised that someone from his large staff that participated in the meeting would provide the requested information. At this writing, the Mission is dubious and has received no evidence to corroborate NCC's claims of conscientious, concrete and effective efforts against piracy. End Comment. . Trademarks, Patents and Designs Registry -------------- . ¶11. (SBU) In a meeting at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry with the Office of Trademarks, Patent and Designs Registry, Registrar Hajia Jamila Ahmadu-Suka expressed appreciation to the USG for its substantial technical assistance (TA). Ahmadu-Suka underscored that the USG training programs have improved her staff's skills tremendously and looped them into current global IP trends and protection efforts. ¶12. (SBU) Ahmadu-Suka commented that the Registry has witnessed significant progress since her appointment in 2007. Her office now publishes its trademarks journal quarterly unlike in the past when it was published every two years. Based on support from the Minister of Commerce, Charles Ugwuh, the Registry will move to a larger, more modern building that will increase productivity. (Note: Ugwuh was removed in a cabinet shuffle on October 29, see reftel A. End Note). Currently the Registrar's Office only has 22 lawyers, while Ahmadu-Suka estimates they need 150 to be adequately staffed. She believes that increased staffing will be forthcoming in the new year. The Registry also plans to conduct sensitization workshops nationwide in 2009, to increase IP public awareness. She reported that the GON's joining the Patents Cooperation Treaty has led to a significant increase in patent applications, especially from foreign patent owners. ¶13. (SBU) Regarding the current status of pending IP legislation, Ahmadu-Suka informed the IPWG that the Ministry of Commerce will soon present a draft bill to the National Assembly for the establishment of an Industrial Property Commission (IPCOM) which would be supervised by the Ministry of Commerce. She underscored that the World Intellectual Property Organization supported the Ministry of Commerce's draft bill and in comments in the draft bill stated that the NCC should be kept outside the authority of IPCOM. On a positive note, Ahmadu-Suka said that the future IPCOM Board would include representatives from most of the Nigerian enforcement agencies - this would be a welcome move toward badly-needed inter-agency cooperation on IP enforcement. Ahmadu-Suka promised to share a copy of the bill with the IPWG and welcomed USG comments. The IPWG also raised the possibility of an action plan with an annex listing benchmarks specific to the Registry's activities. Ahmadu-Suka agreed that it was a good way forward. ABUJA 00002177 003 OF 003 . Comment -------------- . ¶14. (SBU) USG-supported IP training has led to more GON inter-agency cooperation, and an increased IP focus from GON agencies that in the past appeared unaware of what their roles should be. Nonetheless, enforcement efforts and IP public awareness are both woefully inadequate. The Mission is in the process of unveiling a public diplomacy IP awareness campaign via public service announcements. Both the NCC and Registar's office have benefited from USG TA and the Mission has seen positive results at the Registrar's office with timelier processing and sharing of information. NCC has yet to show much progress, especially considering the large number of personnel that have participated in USG TA. Without effective enforcement and prosecution from the NCC, Nigeria will continue to maintain its status as a haven for IP pirates. GON IP agencies also need to improve on the enforcement of IP to justify USG spending on IP capacity building in Nigeria. ¶15. (SBU) Since 2006 the NCC and the Registrar's Office have been jockeying for resources and control. The NCC has contended that a draft bill supported by the Ministry of Justice is before the National Assembly which would establish the Nigerian Intellectual Property Commission, and put under NCC's supervision all patents, trademarks, copyrights, and designs. Ahmadu-Suka has been adamant that the Ministry of Commerce would never agree to this bill and has submitted it own bill for the creation of IPCOM that would keep NCC separate. Another draft bill developed by CLDP and put forward by Senator Wada also appears to be in the mix. At this writing, it is unclear which bill is likely to become law, and this jockeying is a clear demonstration of the lack of coordination and cooperation among GON agencies in the IP sector. ¶16. (U) IPWG cleared on this message before departure. ¶17. (U) This message was coordinated with ConGen Lagos. SANDERS