Customs, USPTO Strengthen Partnership on Intellectual Property Enforcement

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Zone ‘A’, has strengthened its partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to enhance intellectual property protection, border enforcement and the fight against counterfeit and infringing goods.

The engagement, held on 12 August 2026 at the Zone ‘A’ Headquarters in Lagos, brought together officials of both institutions to explore practical areas of cooperation, particularly intelligence sharing, capacity building, technology and the identification of counterfeit products.

Receiving the USPTO delegation led by Julie LeBlanc, the Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Zone ‘A’, ACG Mohammed Babandede, reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to strategic partnerships that promote legitimate trade and protect intellectual property rights.

“Effective intellectual property enforcement is critical to protecting legitimate businesses, safeguarding consumers, encouraging innovation and strengthening government revenue. We must continue to leverage intelligence, technology and capacity building to strengthen enforcement at our borders,” he stated.

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The USPTO delegation underscored the importance of closer collaboration between intellectual property institutions and border enforcement agencies in combating the illicit movement of counterfeit and infringing products. The delegation also identified joint training, information and intelligence sharing, counterfeit identification and intellectual property awareness as key areas for strengthened cooperation.

The Comptroller, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’, Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, further stressed the importance of reliable information from manufacturers and supply-chain stakeholders in countries of origin to support enforcement efforts in destination countries.

“Manufacturers in countries of origin need to provide destination countries with adequate information about their products, distribution channels and supply chains. This will significantly strengthen the ability of border enforcement agencies to identify and intercept counterfeit and pirated goods,” he stated.

The engagement provides a platform for the NCS and USPTO to strengthen information and intelligence exchange, improve officers’ capacity to identify counterfeit and infringing products, and support more effective enforcement against illicit trade across the borders.