The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), an organ of the United Nations has just admitted Nigerian NGO, Friends of the Creators Artistic Foundation (FCF) as a permanent observer.
The decision was reached on Wednesday at the ongoing WIPO meeting taking place in Geneva with over 1,000 delegates from its 192 member-states in attendance.
According to WIPO, “once an observer is admitted to attend the meetings of the Assemblies, it is also invited to attend, in the same capacity, meetings of committees, working groups, or other bodies subsidiary to the Assemblies, if their subject matter seems to be of direct interest of the observer”.
FCF, which was co-founded by Dr. Ogaga Ifowodo and Barr. Rockson Igelige, was formally incorporated in 2017, with headquarters in Oleh, Delta State, Nigeria.
The objectives of the NGO include to create awareness of copyright, to document intellectual property infringement cases in Nigeria and to promote intellectual property rights through campaigning, advocacies and other mediums.
FCF, an award-winning NGO has held the World Intellectual Property Day celebration in collaboration with Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) among others in Nigeria, three consecutive times.
