The Role of a Robust Patent Policy in the Development of Renewable Energy in Nigeria: Intelectual Property Considerations for Development of Renewable Energy Technology in Nigeria
Nigeria’s potential for renewable energy is not in dispute. Nigeria can leverage on intellectual property and conscious effort around its IP policies to utilise intellectual property and intellectual property rights (IPRs) protection and manipulation for the development of renewable energy. Development of renewables is multi-faceted, and so a holistic approach must be adopted by Nigeria to achieve its renewable energy goals, rather than isolate the energy sector. Renewable energy development is an area where energy law and intellectual property law meet as renewable energy is necessarily about the development of and access to renewable energy technology, bringing to fore intellectual property rights in patents. As Omoregbe & Ordor have observed, law is central to the functioning of society, and the various areas of law that impact on a given environment can affect the quality of activities that take place within that environment2. Patents come with each renewable energy technology in the market today, and Nigeria’s policy affecting them is thus worthy of examination.
