Key points
- DVIPC Academy marked the 2026 World Intellectual Property Day with a grassroots-focused innovation and sports education programme in Abuja.
- Teachers and young athletes were trained on the intersection between sports, creativity, and intellectual property rights.
- The academy unveiled plans to establish Intellectual Property Explorer Clubs in schools across Nigeria to nurture innovation and talent development.
Main story
In a strategic move aimed at deepening innovation awareness at the grassroots level, DVIPC Academy has commemorated the 2026 World Intellectual Property Day with a high-impact educational programme centred on sports and intellectual property education.
The event, held in Abuja, aligned with the global theme, “IP and Sport: Get Ready, Set, Innovate,” and brought together primary and secondary school sports teachers, Intellectual Property Club coordinators, and young athletes for intensive engagements on innovation, creativity, and talent development.
The programme featured practical sessions led by sports development and intellectual property experts. A representative from the Federations and Elite Athletes Department of the National Sports Commission, Coach Sube Levi Illya, trained participants on modern coaching techniques and 21st-century sports mentorship approaches.
Speaking during the event, Onyekachi Eriobu-Aniede, founder of DVIPC Academy and an intellectual property expert, highlighted the importance of protecting innovation within the sports industry. She explained how athletic techniques, branding, sports equipment designs, media rights, endorsements, and other creative assets are protected under intellectual property systems.
Eriobu-Aniede, a World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) alumnus and author of IP Adventure, also drew insights from her research on the challenges of intellectual property-related rights in sports development and management in Nigeria.
Also speaking, Christian Sule urged schools to subscribe to the academy’s IP Explorer Club initiative, describing it as a platform designed to expose students to innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship from an early stage.
The training empowered teachers to serve not only as talent discoverers but also as intellectual property advocates capable of guiding students toward structured innovation and commercial opportunities.
The issues
DVIPC Academy noted that intellectual property education remains largely underdeveloped at the grassroots level in Nigeria, despite the growing importance of innovation and creativity in economic development.
The academy stressed that many young talents in sports and creative sectors often lack awareness about ownership rights, protection mechanisms, and the commercial value of their ideas and innovations.
To address this gap, the organisation introduced “IP Adventure,” a storytelling-based educational initiative aimed at simplifying intellectual property concepts for children and teenagers. The initiative teaches students the importance of respecting intellectual property, protecting creative ideas, and transforming innovation into sustainable assets.
As part of its long-term vision, DVIPC Academy is also working toward establishing IP Explorer Clubs in schools nationwide. The clubs are expected to function as innovation hubs where students can collaborate, create, and receive mentorship on protecting and commercialising their ideas.
DVIPC Academy is inviting primary and secondary schools in Nigeria to integrate IP education through its structured programmes by sending an email to: danvickipconsult@gmail.com
What’s being said
According to DVIPC Academy, educational institutions occupy a critical position in shaping Nigeria’s innovation future and require structured systems to support talent discovery and creativity.
The academy stated that partnering schools would benefit from early intellectual property education, enhanced creativity and critical thinking among students, structured talent development, and entrepreneurship opportunities aligned with global innovation standards.
The organisation added that teachers remain central to national development and should be equipped with both coaching and intellectual property knowledge to effectively nurture emerging talents.
What’s next
DVIPC Academy said it would continue expanding its grassroots intellectual property education campaign through partnerships with schools, educators, and sports development stakeholders across Nigeria.
The organisation also announced plans to strengthen the rollout of its IP Explorer Clubs and mentorship frameworks in primary and secondary schools.
Interested schools have been encouraged to integrate intellectual property education into their academic and extracurricular programmes through collaboration with the academy.
Bottom line
By combining sports, education, and intellectual property awareness, DVIPC Academy is positioning itself at the forefront of grassroots innovation advocacy, with a mission to empower young Nigerians to protect, develop, and commercialise their creativity from an early age.
