LEVERAGING ON INTELECTUAL PROPERTY AS A VERITABLE SYSTEM FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF CREATIVE INDUSTRY IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Nigeria's creative industry is a thriving industry that propels the country's economy forward. It has a rapidly growing global influence in areas such as film, music, and fashion, and has the potential to become a focal point for showcasing Nigerian culture internationally. In the modern economic climate, intellectual property rights play a critical role in the creative industry and, to a significant degree, dictate its growth. However, the creative industry has been unable to reach its peak, owing to the weak intellectual property protection for the industry and the lack of enforcement of intellectual property legislation. This article aims to examine the scope of the creative industry in Nigeria, particularly the film, fashion and music industry and the nexus between Intellectual Property rights and the creative industry. The research methodology was a doctrinal method of legal research, and the findings indicated that the creative industry is faced with problems such as lack of legal provisions, infringement, lack of enforcement of intellectual property laws, lack of development of the laws and lack of public awareness of the intellectual property right. This article concludes that coherent policy articulation and execution will enhance the viability of the creative industry and provide a veritable incremental source of employment, revenue and growth. It recommends that proper legislation should be enacted or amended, enforcement agencies should be established, rights management technology should be introduced, a special intellectual property should be established and awareness of intellectual property crimes, infringement and risks should be increased.