By Abdullahi Lukman
Nigeria may soon gain full membership of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), a milestone expected to bolster the country’s efforts to safeguard and promote plant breeding innovation.
The National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) is currently in the process of finalizing the required declarations to complete the accession process.
Once fully integrated, Nigeria will benefit from an international framework for Plant Variety Protection (PVP), which will allow local breeders to more efficiently register their plant varieties and improve agricultural production.
The move to join UPOV is expected to create new opportunities for Nigeria’s agricultural sector by encouraging the development of superior crop varieties, such as those that are more resilient to climate change and have higher yields.
The UPOV membership will also help secure intellectual property protection for foreign breeders, attracting international investment and facilitating the introduction of advanced crop varieties to Nigeria.
This will contribute to more sustainable agricultural practices, as breeders will be motivated to develop varieties that use fewer resources and minimize the need for expanding agricultural land.
During the 2025 boot camp on Plant Variety Protection (PVP), which was held in Abuja, Dr. Ishiak Khalid, the acting director-general of NASC, outlined the key benefits that UPOV membership would bring to the country.
Speaking to journalists at the event, Khalid emphasized that Nigeria’s accession to UPOV would significantly boost the competitiveness of its agricultural sector by promoting innovation in plant breeding.
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He highlighted the country’s commitment to fostering an environment conducive to breeding high-yield, climate-resilient crops, and reducing the reliance on expanding arable land.
“The journey we began in 2019 has brought us to this critical moment,” said Dr. Khalid.
“We have made steady progress in protecting new plant varieties, ensuring sustainability and increasing competitiveness in Nigeria’s agricultural sector through enhanced breeding and innovation.
The full UPOV membership will be a crucial step toward securing Nigeria’s place on the global agricultural stage.”
Dr. Okelola Folarin, the acting registrar of the PVP office, also stressed the importance of plant breeders’ rights in advancing Nigeria’s agricultural potential.
While Nigeria has developed strong protections for intellectual property, including copyright, trademarks, and patents, Folarin noted that plant breeders’ rights have historically been overlooked.
She explained that securing legal protections for new plant varieties would incentivize breeders to invest in the development of superior crops, ultimately improving yields, taste, and resilience against climate change.
These improvements, in turn, would make Nigeria’s agricultural sector more competitive in the global market.
Despite the significant progress Nigeria has made toward becoming a full UPOV member, the final step is the deposition of the instrument of accession, a process that is being coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Dr. Folarin confirmed that while the President has signed the instrument, the ministry has assured that it will soon be deposited, completing the accession process.
