Winners of WIPO National Intellectual Property Essay Competition Announced

August 12, 2020

On July 28, 2020, the 15 winners of the WIPO National Intellectual Property Essay Competition, organized by the WIPO Nigeria Office (WNO), were announced by the Charge D’Affaires, Nigerian Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Geneva, Mr. Tunde Mustapha. The announcement was made at the “Opportunities for Improved Access to Intellectual Property Education and Awareness in Nigeria’s Higher Institutions” webinar.

Ms. Susan Chioma Omeh, a 500 level law student from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, emerged the overall winner with her essay on the theme “Making Innovation work for a Green Future in Nigeria”. As part of her prize, Ms. Omeh’s essay will be published in the WIPO Magazine and she will receive a scholarship to participate in the WIPO Academy’s blended learning Advanced International Certificate Course on Intellectual Property Asset Management (AICC) in South Korea.

This competition is a laudable step at grooming students and indeed the larger society to exploit the immeasurable opportunities that a robust IP System holds for us all. Achieving a safe environment begins with protecting and utilizing those ideas and innovations which make a safe environment feasible. A robust IP system is the key to achieving this protection. We should not sleep on it.

Ms. Susan Chioma Omeh

The first and second runners up, Ms. Chantelle Chiwetalu, a 500 level law student also from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Mr. Olanrewaju Toheeb Balogun, a 300 level law student from the Lagos State University, Ojo, will each receive a WIPO Academy scholarship to participate in the WIPO Summer School in South Africa.

I opted out of studying Intellectual Property, the most popular fifth year elective in my faculty, because I felt it was overhyped. Doing research for this essay corrected that notion. Its application to real global issues struck me. I realized how necessary it is to do a lot more work as a country where the world’s aspiration to a greener future is concerned. I am ecstatic about winning this competition, and look forward to contributing even more to the field of intellectual property

Ms. Chantelle Chiwetalu, first runner up

I think the essay competition was a wonderful initiative. As an undergraduate, it afforded me the opportunity to proffer useful suggestions towards making innovation work for a green future in Nigeria […] it has broadened my horizon in the field of IP .

Mr. Olanrewaju Toheeb Balogun, second runner up

The competition

The WIPO National Intellectual Property Essay Competition was launched by the WNO on April 26, as part its celebration of World IP Day. With a key objective of promoting research and learning in the field of intellectual property (IP), the competition was open to all students of tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Students were required to submit an essay of 1500 words addressing the theme “Making Innovation work for a Green Future in Nigeria”.

The competition garnered extensive interest, and by the final submission deadline of June 5, the WNO had received 262 entries. The entries emerged from a total of 59 tertiary institutions and 51 distinct disciplines. An expert panel of 15 judges was appointed by the WNO to assess the entries. A total of 15 winners emerged from the competition.

Further details, including the prizes, competition details and information on the other competition winners, are available in the full report.