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NOTAP pushes technology commercialisation, stronger IP protection for business growth

The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has renewed its call for stronger investment in innovation, technology commercialisation and intellectual property protection, saying these remain critical to building globally competitive businesses and accelerating Nigeria’s industrial development.

Obiageli Amadiobi, director-general and chief executive officer of NOTAP, said the annual commemoration of African Day for Technology and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) provides an opportunity to stimulate innovation, support entrepreneurs and strengthen the systems needed to transform research outcomes into marketable products and services.

Speaking in a statement issued by Raymond Ogbu, NOTAP’s public relations officer, Amadiobi noted that the celebration, observed every September 13 across Africa, was established by the African Union to promote technology development, encourage creativity and strengthen intellectual property rights across member states.

She said innovation and knowledge-driven enterprises have become key drivers of economic growth globally, making it imperative for African countries to create an environment where inventors, researchers and entrepreneurs can develop and commercialise homegrown technologies.

According to her, Nigeria has continued to leverage the annual event to showcase scientific innovations and inventions from students, researchers and members of innovation-focused organisations, with the aim of connecting ideas to industry and unlocking new economic opportunities.

Amadiobi said the Federal Government, through NOTAP, has introduced several initiatives to bridge the gap between research institutions and industry, including the establishment of 69 Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Offices (IPTTOs) in universities, polytechnics and research institutes nationwide.

She explained that the offices are designed to help researchers protect intellectual property, facilitate technology transfer and support the commercialisation of innovations that can create jobs and attract investment.

The NOTAP boss also highlighted programmes such as the NOTAP-Industry Technology Transfer Fellowship (NITTF), the NOTAP-Industry Research Laboratory Upgrade Programme (NIRLUP) and Project NOVA, a technology hub initiative aimed at developing and scaling the skills of Nigerian youths for participation in the digital economy.

She disclosed that innovators, researchers and entrepreneurs will have another opportunity to showcase their work during the National Technology and Innovation Summit (NTIS 2.0), scheduled to hold on October 7 and 8, 2026, in Ikeja, Lagos.

Amadiobi said sustained support for innovation agencies and increased funding for research and development would be crucial to helping Nigerian innovators transform prototypes into commercially viable products, strengthen local industries and position the country as a leading technology hub in Africa.

Azerbaijan sets its sights on more complex, higher-value economy

Increasing the complexity of Azerbaijan’s economy is one of the country’s key objectives, Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov said.

Jabbarov made the remarks during the opening ceremony of the ‘Baku ID 2026’ innovation festival held at the SABAH.city innovation campus.

The minister said the goal is not simply to produce more goods, but to create goods and services with higher added value.

‘Our main goal and ambition is to increase the complexity of Azerbaijan’s economy. Put simply, this does not mean merely producing more goods, but creating goods and services with higher added value,’ Jabbarov said.

According to him, the integration of talent, technology and the ecosystem is essential to achieving this objective.

‘When the necessary policies and a favorable environment are provided, human capital stands at the very center of the process. Today, the concepts of illiteracy or a skilled employee are also taking on entirely new meanings,’ the minister added.

Jabbarov noted that in the modern economy, people are not merely individuals seeking jobs, but also people who create new employment opportunities.

He said this was also at the core of the philosophy behind ‘Baku ID’ and the festival’s fifth anniversary, and thanked those who had contributed to the project.

The minister said Azerbaijan had also gained important experience through cooperation with the World Economic Forum.

‘Several years ago, the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) was established in Azerbaijan. I am personally proud to have participated in its activities within the framework of the Job Accelerator,’ Jabbarov said.

He noted that technological transformation in the labor market is accelerating and that artificial intelligence is playing an important role in this process.

According to Jabbarov, one of Azerbaijan’s key objectives by 2030 is to become not only a creator of technology, but also a country capable of effectively adopting and applying such technologies to high standards.

Jabbarov said the indicators outlined in the ‘Future of Jobs’ report point to the direction of changes expected in the labor market in the coming years.

‘The share of jobs based solely on human labor, without technological involvement, is expected to decline, while the share of jobs involving cooperation between humans and technology is expected to increase. At the same time, the share of automated processes carried out solely by technology and artificial intelligence is also expected to grow,’ the minister emphasized.

He said these trends indicate that the labor market of the future will be based on the interaction between human capabilities and technology.

At the beginning of his speech, Jabbarov said the project was more than physical infrastructure, describing it as a platform bringing together economic actors, the education ecosystem, innovators, financial institutions and community representatives.

‘We see this space not simply as physical infrastructure, but as a point where economic actors, the education ecosystem, innovators and everyone important to the ecosystem, from financing to the community, come together,’ the minister said.

King’s College saga: Alausa locked out in fresh twist

The controversy surrounding the concession of King’s College, Lagos, took a fresh turn on Wednesday as the Federal Ministry of Education workers blocked Tunji Alausa, the minister of education, from entering his office.

The workers, who were seen carrying placards blocking the entrance to the ministry’s headquarters, also prevented Folake Olatunji-David, the acting permanent secretary, from entering her office.

A video circulating on X showed workers gathered at the entrance as a motorcade reportedly conveying the minister arrived at the premises.

The protesters could be heard chanting, ‘Alausa must go,’ while blocking access to the ministry’s premises.

The development comes amid an ongoing dispute between the ministry’s workers and the federal government over the proposed concession of King’s College, Lagos, as well as other issues raised by the workers’ unions.

The unions have previously demanded the removal of the minister and expressed opposition to the reported 35-year concession of the college to its old boys’ association.

The workers have also raised concerns over staff welfare and other administrative issues within the ministry.

The latest protest indicates that tensions between the ministry’s management and the workers remain unresolved despite recent engagements between the two sides.

Meanwhile, the workers at the King’s College, Lagos, on Tuesday prevented the old boys’ leaders from accessing the school premises for their intended media parley.

Despite the presence of armed policemen and traditional leaders, who intervened to douse the tension, the workers insisted that the KCOBA leaders would not enter the main campus.

The protesting workers were seen protesting with placards, shouting, ‘We say no to concession, go to Abuja, go and buy your land and build your own schools. ‘Why are you destroying the system that made you?’

However, the leaders of KCOBA in their media brief clarified that the association has no intention to buy over the school, but is interested in rebuilding their alma mater.

Femi Okunnu, chairman of the board of trustees at King’s College Old Boys’ Association, clarified while addressing journalists amid protest from parents and workers of the institution.

‘We’re not acquiring King’s College, and the college is not for sale. We are returning to serve it, to help manage, support and rebuild the institution that shaped generations of Nigerians.

‘This is a matter of stewardship, of responsibility, of service rendered in gratitude and not a bid for possession,’ he said.

Bank of England holds rates for sixth time, while US Fed turns hawkish

The Bank of England held its benchmark interest rate for a sixth consecutive meeting on Thursday, while the US Federal Reserve raised rates a day earlier, highlighting a widening divergence in monetary policy as both economies face persistent inflation pressures.

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee voted 6-3 to keep the Bank Rate at 3.75 percent at its September 16 meeting, in line with market expectations. Three members again backed a 25-basis-point increase to four percent, matching the split at the July meeting.

The MPC said prolonged conflict in the Middle East had pushed crude and refined energy prices higher and increased market volatility, contributing to a rise in UK consumer price inflation to 3.1 percent in August, above the bank’s two percent target.

The committee said monetary policy must ensure inflation returns sustainably to target while taking account of the scale and duration of the energy shock. It said there was so far limited evidence of significant second-round effects on wages and prices, although the risk could increase if higher energy costs persist.

The MPC also unanimously agreed to reduce its stock of government bond purchases to zero through a multi-year programme. It will unwind its holdings at an average annual pace of £46 billion through 2034.

The decision came a day after the Federal Open Market Committee raised its target range for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to 3.75 percent – 4.00 percent, its first rate increase since July 2023.

The Fed said inflation remained elevated and that the rate increase would support a ‘timelier return’ to its two percent target.

The US central bank said economic activity had continued to expand at a solid pace, supported by resilient domestic spending, strong productivity growth and robust capital investment. It also said job gains had kept pace with the workforce and unemployment had changed little.

The different policy decisions reflect contrasting economic conditions and the risks confronting the two central banks.

In Britain, policymakers are balancing persistent inflation against weaker economic momentum and a softer labour market. The BoE warned that inflation could rise to around four percent in early 2027 as higher energy prices pass through to households and businesses.

Governor Andrew Bailey has also warned that prolonged energy-market volatility could require tighter monetary policy, leaving the prospect of further rate increases open if inflation pressures intensify.

The Fed, meanwhile, has moved back towards tighter monetary policy despite signs that inflation remains above its target. The US economy’s resilience has given policymakers greater room to prioritise price stability.

The divergence has implications beyond the two economies, particularly for global currencies, bonds and capital flows.

Higher US interest rates can increase the relative attractiveness of dollar-denominated assets, potentially supporting the dollar and raising the cost of dollar funding for emerging and frontier markets. Differences in monetary policy expectations can also affect bond yields, exchange rates and the direction of international capital.

Sterling weakened after the BoE decision, while UK government bond yields also moved lower as investors weighed the rate hold against the central bank’s warning about renewed inflation risks.

The two decisions underscore a more fragmented global monetary policy landscape. The Fed has resumed rate increases, while the BoE is holding rates but remains alert to the possibility that persistent energy-driven inflation could force it to tighten policy.

Markets will now focus on incoming inflation, labour-market and growth data for clues about how long the policy divergence between the two central banks will persist.

Armenia’s new constitution text expected to be made public by year-end

Armenia’s new constitution text is expected to be made public by the end of the year, Armenian Justice Minister Srbuhi Galyan told reporters on Wednesday.

Galyan said work on the draft had slowed following Armenia’s parliamentary elections on June 7 and has now entered a discussion phase among various government departments.

‘If you recall, there were [parliamentary] elections in our country [on June 7], and the work [on Armenia’s new constitution] slowed down a little [because of that]. Now it is in the discussion phase in various departments. The text is complete. The Constitutional Reform Council has not yet approved the text, we will have sessions soon, allowing the council members to get familiarized [with the text of the new constitution],’ Galyan said.

Asked whether there were provisions in the draft that had prompted disagreements, the minister rejected the suggestion.

‘I would not say that there are such points,’ she said.

Galyan was also asked whether the draft constitution could be provided to parliamentary opposition forces.

‘At least the parliamentary opposition forces have the legal opportunity to participate in the Constitutional Reform Council; and if they wish, they can come and participate in the council sessions. We have always wanted to include our opposition colleagues also in the process, but they have never taken advantage of that opportunity and have not participated,’ she said.

The draft must still be considered and approved by the Constitutional Reform Council before the text is formally presented to the public.

Disu proposes IP, security desk for creative economy

The Inspector General of Police (IG), Olatunji Disu, has proposed the establishment of an Orange Economy Security and Intellectual Property Coordination Desk within an existing structure of the Nigeria Police Force, to strengthen protection for the country’s creative industries.

Disu made the proposal yesterday while delivering a lecture to participants of the Senior Executive Course 48, 2026, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State.

The lecture, titled ‘The Orange Economy and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development in Nigeria: The Role of the Nigeria Police Force,’ examined the link between security, entrepreneurship and the growth of Nigeria’s creative sector, with focus on the role of law enforcement in protecting intellectual property, businesses and digital platforms.

The IG said film, music, fashion, publishing, advertising, digital content, gaming, tourism, heritage and the arts were increasingly driven by entrepreneurship, technology and intellectual property, and could contribute more to employment and national development if creators’ assets were adequately protected.

He said the proposed desk would support specialised policing, inter-agency collaboration, dedicated reporting mechanisms and improved engagement with stakeholders in the sector.

Disu called for an intelligence-led and partnership-based approach to tackling organised piracy, counterfeiting, cyber-enabled fraud and other crimes affecting creative enterprise. He also stressed the importance of financial investigation in tracing proceeds linked to criminal networks operating through payment accounts, digital wallets, advertising revenues, logistics networks and online distribution channels.

On intellectual property protection, the IG called for stronger collaboration between the force, the Nigerian Copyright Commission and other relevant institutions. He listed the protection of film locations, concerts, festivals, tourism sites and cultural assets, improved cybercrime response, preservation of digital evidence and sustained engagement with creative communities as areas requiring greater attention.

Disu also highlighted the preventive value of legitimate economic opportunities, saying credible pathways from talent to lawful income could reduce young Nigerians’ vulnerability to criminal activity. He noted that piracy, fraud and extortion weaken businesses, discourage investment and undermine innovation.

He added that effective policing of the sector must protect both public safety and the rights required for creativity and enterprise to thrive, stressing that professional, accountable and rights-respecting policing was essential to building confidence among creators, entrepreneurs and investors.

The Nigeria Police Force, he said, remained committed to working with government institutions, industry stakeholders, creative professionals and communities to strengthen intellectual property protection and provide an enabling environment for innovation and legitimate economic activity.

Federation to unveil equipment for MOB Taekwondo Championship

The Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), the organisers of the forthcoming first edition of the Michael Opeyemi Bamidele National Taekwondo championship, has said that the equipment to be used for the event will be new ones in accordance with global standards.

The President of NTF, Tayo Popoola, told our correspondent on Wednesday that all was set for the two-day event.

She noted that the new equipment will serve as additional motivation for the athletes to put up their best in the competition which is the first edition.

A former Commissioner for Sports and ex- Commissioner for Information and strategy in Lagos State, Opeyemi Bamidele, is the sponsor of the tournament expected to be part of the build-up of the NTF for future international engagements like the Africa Games and the Olympic Games.

Bamidele, a Senator of the Federal Republic, sees sports as one of the ways of promoting unity and boosting youth empowerment. He has encouraged different sporting events in the past.

‘We are not in any way taking chances with the MOB Championship because the sponsor is someone who wants perfection in all areas and that is why we are trying to stage an event that is in conformity with global standards. New equipment to be used are ready and all the athletes will also be happy to be part of this,’ Popoola said. ‘We are all set to stage a world class taekwondo event right here in Nigeria.’

All the states of the federation and Abuja are expected to participate in the forthcoming event along with clubs all over the country just as the para military bodies have also signified intention to be part of the event.

The Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium will host the event on Friday and Saturday September 18 and 19.

Coco Mama expands Save Our Coconuts commitment to 1,000,000 seedlings

Coco Mama is expanding its Save Our Coconuts commitment tenfold, from 100,000 to 1,000,000 quality coconut seedlings over the next five years.

Implemented in partnership with HOPE and Vita Coco, the expanded program aims to help replace aging coconut trees, support Filipino coconut farmers and improve long-term farm productivity.

Since launching Save Our Coconuts in 2024, Coco Mama has donated 40,000 quality seedlings to farming communities. The program’s next phase will build on that progress by combining seedling distribution with farmer training, proper planting practices and support for establishing and maintaining new trees.

‘Tumatanda at hindi na namumunga ang mga puno ng niyog kaya nakakaapekto ito sa kita ng ating mga magsasaka. Importante at mahalaga na may gawin tayo dito.’ said Bryan Lingan, AVP and general manager for Coco Mama at Century Pacific Food Inc.

Scaling up support for coconut farmers

Approximately 20% of Philippine coconut trees are considered senile, meaning their productivity has significantly declined. For farmers who depend on these trees for their livelihood, lower yields can also mean lower income.

Replanting offers a path forward, but smallholder farmers with limited resources must invest today and wait several years before new trees become productive. Save Our Coconuts helps address this challenge by making quality seedlings more accessible and providing farmers with the knowledge and support needed to care for them.

‘Every coconut tree that we plant is also planting opportunity, resilience and dignity. and planting hope for a farmer, for a family and for the next generation of Filipinos.’ said Nadine Dorego, marketing manager at HOPE: Business for Good.

Marking World Coconut Day in GenSan

Coco Mama announced the expanded commitment on World Coconut Day in General Santos City, where brand ambassador Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo joined local farmers and representatives from HOPE, Vita Coco, Century Pacific Agricultural Ventures, Inc. (CPAVI) and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) for a ceremonial planting activity.

Members of the farming community shared their experiences and the realities affecting the productivity of their farms and livelihoods.

On how she decides which products to support, Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo explained, “Pinipili ko ang nagbibigay-balik sa kapwa Pilipino dahil binibigyan nito ang tao ng pag-asang mabuhay nang tama, payak, at tapat sa sarili.

The expanded commitment represents a long-term investment in the farms and communities behind the country’s coconut industry. Its success will be measured not only by the number of seedlings distributed, but also by what those seedlings can become: productive trees, stronger farms and a more sustainable future for Filipino coconut farmers.

SEC urged to withdraw circular on term limits

Former Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) Chairman Ma. Vivian Yuchengco asked the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to withdraw the circular that caps the term of the bourse’s broker-director.

In a statement, Yuchengco said good governance requires directors to earn shareholders’ trust and regulators to respect shareholders’ rights.

‘A director’s repeated election does not give the SEC a reason to disregard that trust. It gives the SEC a stronger obligation to justify taking the choice away.’

Yuchengco and Eddie Gobing, a director, have petitioned the Court of Appeals to declare the rule unconstitutional.

Yuchengco and Gobing sat on the PSE board for 28 years and 25 years, respectively. SEC Memorandum Circular (MC) 17 restricts broker-directors to a maximum cumulative term of 10 years at any exchange.

‘The commission reiterates that MC 17 was promulgated pursuant to the regulatory powers vested upon it under Republic Act No. 8799, or the Securities Regulation Code (SRC), as well as Republic Act No. 11232, or the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines,’ the SEC said in an earlier statement.

‘Accordingly, the memorandum circular directly advances the Commission’s mandate to uphold corporate governance standards, enhance market transparency, and strengthen integrity and accountability in the corporate sector. These are essential toward building a robust, dynamic and world-class Philippine capital market-capable of attracting global investment and driving sustainable economic growth.’

Yuchengco said a director who performs poorly should be replaced. A director who loses shareholders’ confidence should be voted out.

‘But why should a director whom shareholders trust be disqualified simply for having served them for 10 years?’

‘The SEC wants fresh perspectives and opportunities for others to serve. But an opportunity to seek election is not an entitlement to win. Other candidates should earn shareholders’ confidence by showing what they can contribute. Removing otherwise qualified competitors does not make an election more meaningful. It narrows the voters’ choice,’ Yuchengco added.

State Abductions: The Jollof Enigma

There is no letup in the sense of apprehension which has beclouded the country.

A piece of this fear has gripped the staff of the Abrefi Hospital in Techiman and for justifiable reasons. A senior nursing officer of the facility, Salomay Bafoh Awiti, has gone missing and state actors are suspected to be behind the state abduction of the mother whose children are said to be traumatised because they do not know the whereabouts of their mother.

For the umpteenth time, we express concern about this heightened state hooliganism occasioned by the midnight abductions of persons of interest to the national security system.

As pointed out earlier, there is no good reason behind such abductions when indeed suspects can easily be invited over to the National Security Secretariat of any location of their choice. Such suspects can even be arrested during the day so the uncanny ghostly arrests can be avoided.

Armed men in balaclava storming one’s residence at midnight can trigger life-threatening situations such as heart attacks for those who easily get frightened.

Unless those who order such operations do not care whether such life-threatening situations occur and even lead to death.

To think that a country which has advanced appreciably on the rung of democracy and human rights by the end of 2024 has descended to this low within a year and a half is heartbreaking.

Ghanaians chose democracy to, as it were, protect their human rights, not to have the state security apparatus to be misused to hound citizens.

All of a sudden those who witnessed the dark days before the February 24, 1966 overthrow of President Kwame Nkrumah, especially how suspected anti-Convention People’s Party (CPP) persons were hounded, arrested and detained at the Nsawam Prisons not knowing when they would be released, are reliving those scary moments in our history.

History is doubtlessly being repeated.

The Techiman incident calls for reflection by the President and his team, unless the reality is that he does not care.

The senior nursing officer was abducted and possibly brought down to Accra on suspicion that she is Ghana Jollof, the equivalent of Kevin Taylor on the other side of the political aisle in the country.

She appears to be Ghana Jollof and so should be abducted the way she was. Goodness! What has befallen Ghana at the hands of those at the throttles of state today?

Those who institutionalised insults in our body politic must bow their head in shame as this canker devours our values.

The only difference between Ghana Jollof and Kevin Taylor is that the former insults the ruling party and the latter the opposition.

One day when this segment of Ghana’s history is compiled, this dark side of the chronology will be attributed to the man Kevin Taylor says employed him to be hurling insults at his political opponents.

Poor Salomay and others hounded and their human rights abused, weep not for time changes and one day this too shall pass.

Like the WWII German Enigma code, Ghana Jollof remains a conundrum for the National Security apparatus to crack.