📖 ABSTRACT/OVERVIEW
Nigeria's technology startup ecosystem, centred in Lagos but expanding to Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Kano, has attracted significant venture capital investment and produced globally recognised innovators. However, intellectual property management within Nigerian startups remains characterised by inadequate legal protection strategies, exposing founders to risks of idea theft, trademark squatting, and investor disputes over IP ownership. This study examines IP management practices and legal strategies in Nigerian technology startups, focusing on copyright, trademark, and trade secret protections available under Nigerian law. A professional practitioner methodology was adopted, incorporating structured interviews with thirty technology startup founders, venture capital legal counsel, and IP attorneys in Lagos. Secondary data was obtained from the Trademarks Registry, Nigeria Copyright Commission publications, and startup ecosystem reports from 2019 to 2024. Findings reveal that most early-stage startups register as companies without formally assigning founder IP to the company entity, creating unresolvable ownership disputes at the due diligence stage of investment. Trademark registration is frequently neglected until infringement occurs. Software copyright protections are poorly understood and even more poorly enforced. Recommendations include mandatory IP audit requirements at company incorporation stage, development of standard IP assignment agreements for startup use, and legal literacy workshops for founders in collaboration with startup accelerators. This research provides practical IP management guidance for technology entrepreneurs and their legal advisers in Nigeria. Keywords: intellectual property, technology startups, copyright, trademark, innovation protection.
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