Intellectual property assets, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and industrial designs, can be valued, traded, and leveraged as financial instruments. In economies where intangible assets represent a growing proportion of enterprise value, understanding how to commercialise and finance IP is increasingly important for businesses of all sizes.
Nigeria’s National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy (NIPPS), published in 2023 and currently in its 2026 implementation phase, places IP commercialisation and the development of IP-backed financing mechanisms at the centre of the national IP agenda. The policy framework creates an institutional environment in which IP finance transactions are becoming more structured and more accessible for Nigerian businesses.
We advise clients on IP valuation for licensing, transactional, and financing purposes; on structuring IP licensing arrangements and royalty streams; on IP as security for financing; and on the IP aspects of business sales, mergers, and restructurings. For startups and innovation-led businesses, we advise on IP ownership structuring ahead of investment rounds and on the IP due diligence process.
The interaction between IP finance and the Nigeria Startup Act 2022 is particularly relevant for technology and creative economy businesses, where IP assets are often the primary form of capital.