AN EXAMINATION OF THE PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY IN ARCHITECTURE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

With a primary focus on the Copyright Act 2022, this paper critically analyzed how Nigeria’s intellectual property (IP) regime protects architectural works. The paper addressed how architectural works pose peculiar difficulties for IP enforcement because they combine artistic and functional elements, especially when it comes to separating protectable works and expression from unprotected concepts and/or functional elements. The doctrinal research methodology was applied. The paper evaluated Nigeria’s legal framework compared to countries like the United States of America and the United Kingdom, among others. These challenges include low institutional capacity, lack of awareness, and other impediments. The paper concluded with practical policy recommendations, such as the establishment of digital copyright infrastructure, specialist IP court divisions, and others.