WIPO National IP Essay Competition 2025 For Nigerian Students
- Omran Aburayya
- May 20
- 4 min read
If you’re a Nigerian student with a passion for innovation, creativity, and the music industry, there’s an exciting opportunity waiting for you. The WIPO National IP Essay Competition 2025 is now open for entries! Celebrated annually on April 26—World Intellectual Property (IP) Day—this competition spotlights how IP rights fuel creativity and economic growth. With this year’s theme, “IP and music: Feel the beat of IP,” the contest challenges students to explore how Nigeria’s booming music industry, empowered by robust IP frameworks, can drive sustainable economic development.
🗒️ Competition Summary
Location: Nigeria
Host Institution: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), with a dedicated office in Nigeria
Level: Open to both Undergraduate and Postgraduate students
Target Group: Registered students of recognized tertiary institutions in Nigeria—including Universities, Colleges of Education, Polytechnics, and Professional or Vocational institutions
Fields of Focus: Intellectual Property, Music Industry, Innovation, and Economic Growth
Award Value & Coverage: Winners and outstanding participants earn a range of exciting prizes including:
Scholarship spots to attend WIPO Summer Schools on Intellectual Property
Fellowship opportunities with the West African Young Innovation Leaders Fellowship
Special WIPO Packages and Certificates of Achievement for the top 15 essays
The top three essays may be considered for publication in the WIPO Magazine
Scholarships for WIPO Distance Learning (DL) courses, along with other capacity-building and professional development rewards
Application Deadline: June 20, 2025
Announcement of Winners: August 2025
Eligible Applicants: All registered Nigerian students from recognized tertiary institutions
🌐 Competition Overview
Every year on April 26, the global community marks World Intellectual Property Day to highlight the impact of IP on innovation and creative development. This year, the celebration comes alive with a focus on music. The competition’s theme—“IP and Music: Harnessing Nigeria’s Music Industry for Economic Growth”—invites students to delve into how creativity paired with robust IP protection can sustain Nigeria’s dynamic music scene and catalyze wider economic progress.
Given the increasing international recognition of Nigerian sounds—from Afrobeats to other indigenous musical expressions—the competition urges you to explore both the strengths and challenges faced by the industry. This is your opportunity to propose forward-looking solutions that address obstacles (such as the rise of emerging technologies) and offer practical policy recommendations, all while deepening your understanding of intellectual property’s pivotal role in the creative economy.
🎁 Benefits of Participating
Taking part in this essay competition does more than just provide you with the chance to win prizes. It serves as a platform to:
Enhance Your Knowledge: Deepen your understanding of intellectual property and its transformative influence on the music industry.
Build Professional Skills: Improve your research, analytical, and writing abilities—all key skills for a successful career in any creative or innovative sector.
Gain Recognition: Stand out among peers through awards that may include certificates, scholarships, and potential publication opportunities in the prestigious WIPO Magazine.
Access Exclusive Opportunities: Winners may secure scholarship spots to attend specialized WIPO Summer Schools on IP and benefit from professional development initiatives and capacity-building programs, such as the West African Young Innovation Leaders Fellowship.
✅ Eligibility & Entry Requirements
The competition is designed exclusively for Nigerian students and comes with several clear guidelines to ensure fairness and maintain the quality of submissions:
Language & Format:
The essay must be written in English.
It should not exceed 1,500 words (bibliography and references are excluded from the word count).
Use Arial (Black) font, size 12, with double line spacing and numbered pages.
Submissions must be provided in both Word and PDF formats.
Content Restrictions:
The essay must not include any pictures or graphical illustrations.
It should not contain any identifying details (such as the author’s name, school, contact number, or email address) to ensure anonymous judging.
Plagiarism of any sort will lead to disqualification, and AI-generated content is strictly not eligible.
Documentation:
A valid student ID card or other proof of enrolment is required at the time of submission.
Submission Period:
All entries must be submitted on or before the deadline of June 20, 2025
Note that the submission link will be active from May 14, 2025
📝 How to Apply
Prepare Your Essay: Ensure your essay meets all formatting requirements, is written in English, and is free of any personal identifiers.
Review the Topic: Tackle the essay topic with a critical perspective—examine how Nigeria’s music industry, underpinned by strong IP frameworks, drives economic growth, and propose innovative solutions to overcome current challenges.
Submission Format: Save your final essay in both Word and PDF formats to comply with the competition requirements.
Submit Your Entry: Submit your entry through the official online application portal. Make sure to complete your application before the deadline on June 20, 2025.
Prepare Documentation:Have a valid student ID or proof of enrolment ready to be uploaded as required by the competition guidelines.
ℹ️ For further details and additional guidance, visit the official webpage for the WIPO National IP Essay Competition.
