The French Embassy in Nigeria has pledged its commitment to identifying possible Geographical Indications (GI) on Nigerian products by exploring their potential for the economic growth of the country.
Ms. Emmanuelle Blatmann, the Ambassador of France to Nigeria, said this at the Nigeria-France GI Roundtable discussion held at the Embassy on Thursday in Abuja.
Blatmann said that the meeting was convened to raise awareness of the strategic economic and cultural value of Nigerian products adding, “it will give an opportunity to present the outcomes of a study financed by French authorities.”
According to her, GI aims at identifying possible products in Nigeria, as well as explore their possible contributions to economic growth.
“The study revealed that in Nigeria, there are hundreds of products that could qualify to be consistent GIs. However, only a few decision-makers and stakeholders are aware of the potential of GI labeling and protection.
“It makes me confident that together we will soon be able to ensure that products from Nigerian geographical origins are properly mapped and protected,” she said.
Speaking also in the same view, the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Samuela Isopi, said that GIs represented a success story that Europe wished to promote globally and particularly in Africa.
She added that the huge traditions and diversity in African agricultural products may benefit from the use of the intellectual property tool for food protection.
According to Isopi, the African Union requested the support of the UN to establish a continental strategy for GIs, a call that was picked up by other partners.
They included the European Commission, the French Agency for Development (AFD), and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
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“The strategy for GIs in Africa 2018-2023 was finally endorsed in 2017 and received the immediate support of the EU which sees GIs as part of the intellectual property rights protocol of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“It is a long process, but GIs represent a real tool for development and, if they are successful, they can bring value to the whole food value chain, including small producers.
“The protection of GIs could help preserve and promote Africa’s and Nigeria’s agricultural tradition, creating an appropriate legal framework on intellectual property and contributing to rural development.
“There is so much potential associated with the GIs and so many social, economic, and environmental benefits: GIs have been a game changer in the EU and we see the same potential in Nigeria.
“On agriculture, GIs are a key tool for job creation, including for the youth, especially in rural areas. I think for example of the North of Nigeria where some of Nigeria’s most interesting products come from,” she said.
In the same vein, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo, former Executive Director, of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) lauded the effort of the Embassy and AFD for giving credence to the importance of GIs as tools for national development.
He recalled that the commission had provided a grant under the FGN’s Export Expansion Facility Programme (EEFP) to AITCR to undertake a study on “Market Access” and the value chain of shea butter and Ginger.
GI is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
GI tells consumers that a product was produced in a certain place and has certain characteristics that are due to that place of production.
