Intellectual Property Rights In Genetically Modified Organisms

Introduction

The recent influx of Genetically Modified Organisms (“GMOs”) in global agriculture begs serious legal and ethical questions. Although experts have expressed concerns against its incorporation into the natural food chain, consumption of GMOs remains prevalent in many developed countries of the world. For a country like Nigeria where agriculture contributes about a quarter of our Gross Domestic Product, it is important that we pay attention to the legal dimensions of the conversation in order to keep pace in this every-changing world.

In this article, we focus on the legal nature of GMOs, the nature of intellectual property rights (if any) which may attach to them in Nigeria and sundry legal questions arising therefrom.