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WIPO Nigeria Canvasses Integration of IP into National Planning Strategies

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The Federal Government has been urged to fully incorporate issues of Intellectual Property (IP) within the country’s National Planning Strategies.

Counselor and Head of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Nigeria Office (WNO), Dr. Oluwatobiloba Moody, made the called in Abuja recently, as the Director-General of Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Dr. John O. Asein inducted 18 winners and finalists of the WIPO National IP Essay Competition 2021 as Copyright Ambassadors. The theme of the competition instituted as part of activities marking the World Intellectual Property (IP) Day 2021 is: “IP, SMEs and Economic Recovery in Nigeria”.

Representative of the Director-General, NCC and Director, Finance and Accounts, Mr. Mark Obasi, noted that the essence of the study visit of the finalists to the Commission was to advance the gains of the students’ IP knowledge beyond the essay competition. He charged the 18 National IP Essay competition finalists that, having been inducted as Copyright Ambassadors, they should actively promote copyright awareness in their institutions and respective communities.

 

Dr. Moody, who led the IP Essay winners and finalists on a study visit to the Commission’s Headquarters, commended the ongoing efforts of Nigerian Government towards the development of a National Policy on Intellectual Property.

He said IP was a growing field in Nigeria which should be invested in substantially considering its huge development potentials. He added that IP education should be actively driven in all the universities and tertiary institutions which should be encouraged to incorporate IP as a priority course on their academic curricula.

The WIPO counselor noted that efforts at entrenching IP in Nigeria were on course, with sensitisation being driven at various levels. “We are not there yet but we are understanding the issues and pushing out a lot of initiatives to ensure that people are aware of the opportunities in IP and how it can play a major role in driving Nigeria’s future”, he stated.

According to him, a total of 170 students of tertiary institutions participated in the IP essay competition from across the country.

He indicated that the price package for the winners comprised a capacity building process in IP, including facilitation of their study tours to national IP organisations like the NCC, National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Trade Marks and Patents Registries; access to scholarships for WIPO Distance Learning courses; as well as international travels for IP development opportunities.

 

He commended the NCC for its supportive role and for hosting the finalists of the IP essay competitions in 2020 and 2021.

During their study visit to the NCC, the IP essay winners and finalists were exposed to knowledge of the regulatory and enforcement mandates of the Commission, and commercialisation potentials of copyright and IP rights.

Miss Oyin Komolafe, a 300 level law student of University of Ibadan, Oyo State, emerged as the overall winner of the competition while the two runners-up were Miss Honour Dahunsi, a 300 level law student of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State and Miss Chimdiebere Anya-Awa, a 400 level law student of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State.

Miss Komolafe said she was elated being adjudged as the best in the competition in view of the prize and opportunities that abound for the winners. “IP is a nascent area in the field of law and I feel that with the opportunities attached, I will be able to optimise my expertise to practise IP law upon graduation”, she stated.

The finalists, also inducted as Copyright Ambassadors, were Ms. Blessing Nwankwo, a 300 level law student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State; Ms. Queen Letam Nwibani, a 500 level law student of Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Rivers State; Mr. Badrudeen Lawal, a 500 level law student of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State; Mr. Moses Olanrewaju and Mr. Abdulrahman Adebowale Adetunji; both 500 level law students of University of Ibadan, Oyo State; Mr. Gesiye-emi Emiemokumo, a 400 level law student of Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State; Ms. Chioma Janefrances Ibeh, a 400 level dentistry student of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State; and Mr. Oludayo Olufowobi, a 400 level law student of University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State.

Others were Mr. Victor Fabarebo, a 300 level law student of University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State; Mr. Maduabuchi Kingsley Arinze, a 500 level mechanical engineering student of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State; Mr. Joshua Chizoma and Ms. Priscilla Okiwelu, both 500 level law students of University of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, among others.

Mr. Mike Akpan, Director of the training arm of NCC, Nigerian Copyright Academy (NCA), one of the resource persons that briefed the students, observed that a lot of people were getting interested in the field of IP and added that opportunities abound for IP scholars to explore the development potentials in Nigeria.

It would be recalled that the finalists of the maiden edition of the WIPO National IP Essay Competition in 2020 were similarly inducted Copyright Ambassadors at the Commission’s Headquarters in April 2021.

Others in attendance included: Director, Administration, Dr. Idowu Ogunkuade; Director, Planning Research and Statistics, Mr. Bitrus Dauda; Director, Regulatory, Mr. Augustine Amodu; and Director, Public Affairs, Mr. Vincent A. Oyefeso.


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DStv Offers Instant Package Upgrade for Customers from January to February

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DStv has launched a new campaign tagged “We Got You”, aimed at giving customers more entertainment value at the start of the year without additional cost.

DStv Offers Instant Package Upgrade for Customers from January to February

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The campaign, which runs from January 1 to February 28, 2026, allows subscribers who pay for their current package in full to enjoy an automatic upgrade to the next DStv package.

The initiative is designed to ease the pressure that often comes with January, a period marked by school resumption, tighter budgets and increased household demands.

Through the offer, DStv is rewarding customer loyalty by unlocking more channels, stories, sports, children’s content, local productions and international programmes at no extra charge.

Speaking on the campaign, Tope Oshunkeye, Executive Head of Marketing, West Africa, MultiChoice, said, “We want our customers to step into the year feeling valued.

“When you buy your package, we upgrade you because you deserve more. This is our way of bringing extra excitement, choice and convenience into your home.”

According to DStv, the offer is open to existing subscribers who remain active during the promotion period, customers who reconnect their decoders, and new subscribers who join between January 1 and February 28.

Under the offer, subscribers who pay for DStv Yanga will be upgraded to DStv Confam, Confam customers will receive DStv Compact, Compact subscribers will be upgraded to Compact Plus, while Compact Plus customers will enjoy access to DStv Premium.

The upgrade applies only to decoder viewing, and subscribers will revert to their original packages at the end of the promotion period.


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FIRS Transforms into NRS as Nigeria Ushers in New Tax Era

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Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has officially given way to the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), signalling a pivotal shift in the country’s revenue administration framework as the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Act 2025 takes full effect from January 1, 2026.

FIRS Transforms into NRS as Nigeria Ushers in New Tax Era

NRS


President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the landmark legislation in June 2025, alongside a comprehensive package of tax reforms designed to streamline compliance, expand the tax net and bolster federal revenue for critical infrastructure and social services.

At a colourful ceremony in Abuja on December 30, 2025, NRS Executive Chairman, Dr Zacch Adedeji, unveiled the agency’s new logo and corporate identity, describing it as a beacon of modernisation and efficiency.

Adedeji, who doubles as the pioneer helmsman, stated that the fresh branding embodies “a renewed commitment to a unified, service-driven revenue system” in line with global standards and Nigeria’s economic aspirations.

“The new identity underscores continuity in mandate, enhanced capacity and proactive taxpayer support, fostering trust and shared prosperity,” he added, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Dare Adekanmbi.

The NRS emergence caps decades of advocacy for tax overhaul, repealing the FIRS (Establishment) Act 2007 and vesting the new body with broader powers for revenue assessment, collection and accountability.

Judicial hurdles were cleared when an FCT High Court dismissed suits seeking to stall implementation, paving the way for the four key Acts — Nigeria Revenue Service, Tax Administration, Nigeria Tax and Joint Revenue Board — to roll out seamlessly.

Despite pockets of controversy, including claims of bill alterations, the Budget Office affirmed the laws’ authenticity, prioritising fiscal stability and investor confidence.

For ordinary Nigerians and enterprises, the NRS promises simplified processes, digital innovations and reduced red tape to ease compliance burdens while curbing evasion.

Technical Assistant on Broadcast Media to the Chairman, Mrs Aderonke Atoyebi, reassured that core values of integrity, fairness and professionalism persist, with staff nationwide driving the transition.

Industry watchers anticipate a surge in non-oil revenue, crucial as Nigeria navigates global headwinds, with the NRS positioned to elevate the tax-to-GDP ratio through transparent engagement.


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How to Use the Correlation of Gold with Other Trading Assets in the Forex Market

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Gold remains one of the most powerful commodities in the global financial architecture. It is widely recognized that, for traders in Nigeria, specifically, currency pressures, inflation expectations, and shifts in global liquidity make up the macro environment more often than not; hence, understanding the correlation of gold with key Forex assets is more of an economic insight than a trading tactic.

The correlation between gold and currencies, equities, bonds, and even energy markets provides a broader framework for interpreting global risk sentiment. A growing number of Nigerian investors use this correlation to hedge against inflation, read capital-flow trends, and adjust trading strategies across major currency pairs.

Why Gold Matters in Today’s Macro Environment

This can be explained by looking at the larger picture and how global factors either positively or negatively impact the price of gold: spiraling inflation, geopolitical tension, tightening by central banks, and the flight-to-safety dynamic that heightens in moments of market stress. African traders, especially those active with international brokers such as JustMarkets, are very sensitive to how gold performs not only as a commodity but also as a macro indicator.

Indeed, the strongest correlations of gold are more often found with the US dollar, major bond markets, equity indices, and energy instruments in periods of high geopolitical risk. Each one of these offers a different angle for Nigerian traders to approach macroeconomic changes.

Gold and US Dollar: The Most Watched Correlation

The inverse correlation between XAU and the USD remains one of the bedrock relationships in global finance. It usually weighs on gold because a stronger dollar raises the opportunity cost of holding the metal. Conversely, the opposite has occurred when the market has priced in rate cuts, rising inflation, or policy uncertainty.

This relationship provides Forex traders in Nigeria with a macro perspective:

  • USD strength; pressure on gold; bullish signals for USD-pairs like USD/JPY or USD/CHF

  • USD weakness; appreciation of gold; potential strengthening of the non-USD majors

This dynamic is often emphasized by platforms such as JustMarkets in their markets analytics, allowing traders to match the technical setup with real policy shifts from the Federal Reserve.

Gold and Bond Yields: A Window into Global Risk Appetite

Gold is highly sensitive to real interest rates. When US real yields fell, it sent gold higher because investors saw it as a hedge against inflation and thus a haven. Yet higher yields tend to dampen demand for precious metals.

To traders, this correlation is a reason for short-run volatility around announcements like:

  • US CPI

  • FOMC decisions

  • Results of Treasury auctions

In countries like Nigeria, when domestic inflation is high and Naira pressure amplifies sensitivity to global risk, the movement of gold often proves an early indicator of how capital might rotate between safe havens and risk assets worldwide.

Gold and Equity Markets: The Fear Gauge

While geopolitical tensions or recession fears tend to deflate equity markets, they strengthen gold. This negative relationship is considered helpful for traders looking to deduce spikes in volatility and risk-off flows. Examples include:

  • Sharp US30 or NAS100 declines coupled with XAU/USD rallies

  • Broad-based sell-offs driven by political uncertainty or commodity shocks

This dynamic helps explain to the Nigerian analysts focused on policy and political economy how global risk events transmit to the local market through capital-flow sentiment.

Gold and Energy: Transmission via the Inflation Channels

Although gold and oil are not directly correlated, both respond to inflation expectations. Surging oil prices can fuel inflation forecasts that support the price of gold.

This channel is particularly important in the case of Nigeria, a major oil exporter. When crude markets temporarily tighten due to supply disruptions or OPEC policy decisions, gold becomes a complement to hedge against global inflation risk.

Trading with the Use of Gold Correlations

A structured approach allows traders to put gold’s relationships into practice:

  1. Start with the macro driver.
    Identify whether inflation, geopolitics, or monetary policy is the primary force shaping markets.

  2. Translate the macro event into correlation expectations.
    Example: falling bond yields lead to a weaker USD, which in turn supports gold and could lead to upside in EUR/USD.

  3. Use correlation clusters instead of isolated signals.
    Gold + USD + bonds provide a more reliable picture than gold alone.

  4. Apply risk management aligned with volatility cycles.
    Gold’s volatility often spills over into major currency pairs.

Market platforms like JustMarkets emphasize these cross-asset links to help traders simplify complex macro interactions into actionable insights.

Why Nigerian Traders Pay Close Attention

The Nigerian economy is highly integrated into global commodity flows; inflation cycles, dollar liquidity, and geopolitical developments tend to reach the local market faster than the pace at which policy adjustments can be made.

Gold serves as a barometer of global risk, a hedge against currency depreciation, and a signal of moves in the key USD pairs that headline Nigeria’s trading activity.

In a region increasingly active in the Forex market, understanding the relationships involving gold is not just about trading but also a strategic tool for analyzing global economic behavior


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