Customs, International Trademark Association vow to end product counterfeiting in Nigeria

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the International Trademark Association (INTA) have expressed commitment to ending product counterfeiting in Nigeria.
They stated this on Wednesday during a visit to the national headquarters of the Customs in Abuja by a delegation of the INTA.
The team was met by the Customs’ Acting Deputy Comptroller-General (Strategic Research and Policy), Dr. Patience K. Iferi.
On the delegation were Tat-Tienne Louembe, the INTA’s Representative for Africa and the Middle East; a Lagos-based intellectual property legal expert, Akeem Aponmade; and Regina Onwumere, Associate, Aluko & Oyebode).
Iferi, who received the team on behalf of the Comptroller-General of the NCS, Col. Hameed I. Ali (rtd.), announced the agency’s commitment to tackling the menace.
During the meeting, the two parties deplored the scourge of counterfeit goods and its negative impacts on intellectual property, job creation and health.
The Acting Deputy Comptroller-General underscored the key role of the NCS in protecting the country from various threats and seized the opportunity to call for more technical assistance from the INTA on products identification, protection of Indigenous products and sensitization campaigns.
In response, INTA expressed willingness to further partner with NCS and facilitate the dialogue with brand owners via its Custom Connection Programme and the UNREAL Campaign.
The Custom Connection Programme is conducted by Intellectual property rights (IPR) holders through training webinars and has so far significantly contributed to increase customs agents’ capacity in identifying counterfeit goods. Subsequently, INTA members presented the Association activities in the country undertaken by the Anti Counterfeiting Coalition (Nigeria Chapter) extended an invitation to attend INTA/ACC next event.
In October 2017, the ACC Nigeria will organise a Roundtable themed “Anti-Counterfeiting and Business Climate”.
Last year, under the theme “Cost Effective Measures and Practical Tactics in Combating Counterfeiting & Piracy Activities” the annual ACC/INTA Roundtable celebrated its 10th anniversary.
It brought together brand owners, regulators, enforcement practitioners, IP lawyers, the press, practitioners in the entertainment industry and other key stakeholders to discuss possible cost effective measures and practical tactics in combating counterfeiting and piracy in light of the current economic climate.
INTA is a global association of trademark owners and professionals dedicated to supporting trademarks and related intellectual property in order to protect consumers and to promote fair and effective commerce.
With offices in Brussels, Santiago, Shanghai, Singapore and Washington D.C. and representatives in Geneva and New Delhi, INTA undertakes advocacy work throughout the world to advance trademarks and offers educational programs and informational and legal resources of global interest. Etienne Sanz de Acedo, a national of Spain, is the current CEO of INTA.