Trade secret protection in Nigeria is based on common law and administered through the judicial system. There have been calls for stronger protections, including making trade secret theft a crime. The trend toward tightening intellectual property regimes to mirror those of developed countries could limit innovation, technology transfer and the sharing of knowledge.
Nigeria’s power sector is one of the priority areas that the country has identified as a potential driver of carbon neutrality by 2060. There is a tension between the government’s desire to boost local solar energy manufacturing and its continued reliance on imports to meet local demand. Trade secrets are increasingly relevant to the solar energy sector, where digital technologies are incorporated to maximize energy efficiency. Clarence Sokolambe Lakpini argues that Nigeria’s trade secret reform should focus on optimizing its current system instead of over-regulating it. This approach could support knowledge sharing, build innovation capacity and help Nigeria reach its goal of carbon neutrality by 2060.
