2025 WIPO National Intellectual Property Essay Competition

📖 About the Competition

Every year on April 26, the world celebrates World Intellectual Property (IP) Day to highlight the role of IP rights in fostering innovation, creativity, and economic and cultural development. The 2025 theme, "IP and Music: Feel the Beat of IP", focuses on the music industry and how IP empowers creatives, artists, and innovators.

This year, the WIPO National IP Essay Competition invites students to explore the topic:
"IP and Music: Harnessing Nigeria’s Music Industry for Economic Growth."

Participants are encouraged to critically reflect on how Nigeria's vibrant music industry, combined with strong IP frameworks, can contribute to the nation's economy. The competition also challenges students to propose forward-looking solutions to obstacles such as emerging technologies.

🗓 Opportunity Details

• Date Published: May 19, 2025
• Application Deadline: June 20, 2025
• Category: Contest
• Eligible Locations: Nigeria
• Sponsor Organisation: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

🎵 Why Participate?

Nigeria's booming music industry, including genres like Afrobeats, has become a global phenomenon. This competition provides students with an opportunity to:

• Research the role of IP in driving innovation within the music industry.
• Contribute fresh insights on how Nigeria’s creative sector can fuel sustainable economic growth.
• Gain recognition for their ideas and solutions.

🏆 Benefits

Winners and outstanding participants will receive a variety of exciting learning, professional development, and capacity-building prizes.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

The competition is open to all registered students (undergraduate and postgraduate) of recognized tertiary institutions in Nigeria, including:

• Universities
• Colleges of Education
• Polytechnics
• Professional or Vocational institutions

Entry Requirements:

1. The essay must be written in English.
2. Essays should not exceed 1,500 words (excluding bibliography and references).
3. Use Arial (Black) font, size 12, with double line spacing and numbered pages.
4. Submit entries in both Word and PDF formats.
5. Do not include pictures or graphical illustrations.
6. Essays must not contain any identifying information (e.g., name, school, email).
7. Plagiarism will result in disqualification.
8. AI-generated works are not eligible and will be disqualified.
9. Submissions received after June 20, 2025, will not be considered.
10. A valid student ID card or proof of enrollment is required.

📝 Judging Criteria

Essays will be assessed by an independent panel of judges, including IP practitioners, artists, producers, academics, and policy experts. Judges will evaluate:

• Originality of ideas
• Structural flow, clarity of thought, and grammatical accuracy
• Relevance to the field of intellectual property (IP)
• Relevance to national, regional, and/or international contexts
• Policy suggestions and proposals for improving the creative economy

📅 Application Process

1. Submit your essay via the official application form.
2. For submission inquiries, contact WIPO.

📌 Key Dates

• Application Deadline: June 20, 2025

🌐 Additional Information

For more details, visit the official WIPO National IP Essay Competition page.

Seize this opportunity to showcase your ideas and contribute to the growth of Nigeria's music industry through intellectual property! 🎶

• Winners and outstanding participants of the 2025 National IP Essay Competition will receive a variety of exciting learning, professional development and capacity building prizes.