Thirty young Nigerian lawyers, plant breeders, and agricultural professionals converged in Abuja from March 2 to 6 2026, for the second edition of the plant variety protection (PVP) & Intellectual Property (IP) Boot Camp, learning how plant variety protection can build climate-resilient food systems and drive agricultural innovation in Nigeria.
Selected from a competitive pool of over 600 applicants nationwide, participants spent five days immersed in the practical and legal dimensions of plant variety protection: from PVP laws and the UPOV Convention, to technical skills in Distinctiveness, Uniformity and Stability (DUS) testing for new plant varieties.
Hon. Fatuhu Muhammed, Director General of the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC), described the Boot Camp as a strategic investment in professionals who would shape how PVP is understood, implemented, and strengthened across Nigeria. He noted that the event marked a significant milestone in Nigeria's journey toward deepening the implementation of the country’s PVP legislation.
“As Director-General of NASC, I reaffirm our commitment to strengthening the Nigeria Plant Variety Protection Office (NPVPO), enhancing technical capacity, promoting awareness of breeders’ rights, and building a credible, transparent, and globally aligned system. Nigeria is not merely adopting a framework; we are building a functional and sustainable innovation system,” Mr. Muhammed stated.
Nigeria acceded to the UPOV Convention on March 27, 2025, becoming the 80th member of the Union. Membership is expected to attract increased investment in plant breeding, support the development of new and improved plant varieties, and strengthen the role of plant variety protection in advancing national food security.
One of the participants, Vivian Nwankwor, an intellectual property lawyer, described the Boot Camp as both timely and impactful.
“The PVP and IP Boot Camp for Young Professionals was a refreshing and profoundly informative programme. It reinforced the idea that intellectual property is the new global currency. In an era where food security is a growing global concern, there is perhaps no more meaningful way to invest this currency than in the agricultural sector.”
Her reflections echo the programme’s broader goal of equipping a new generation of professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to strengthen plant variety protection and support agricultural innovation in Nigeria.
Mr. Leontino Taveira, Director of Global Development and Technical Affairs at the UPOV Office, delivered a goodwill message and a technical presentation introducing participants to the UPOV system. His session covered the principles underpinning the Convention, as well as the role of UPOV in strengthening national PVP systems, promoting innovation in plant breeding, and fostering international cooperation in the protection of new plant varieties.
The Boot Camp is an initiative of the Nigerian PVP Office and the National Agricultural Seeds Council, organized with support from the UPOV Office, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It also benefited from the collaboration of several Nigerian institutions working in intellectual property and agriculture, including the Patent and Design Registry, the Trademark Registry, the Nigerian Copyright Commission, the Nigerian Bar Association (IP Committee), and the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP).
As these thirty young professionals return to their respective fields, they carry with them not only a deeper understanding of PVP laws and DUS testing, but also a shared vision of how plant variety protection can contribute to climate resilience, food security, and sustainable economic growth in Nigeria.