Small Business Owners In The Cosmetics, ICT, And Food And Beverages Sectors Celebrate And Share Reflections At The WIPO Branding Project For SMEs Closing Showcase
On Thursday, February 20 2025, small business owners who completed the WIPO Branding Project for SMEs—organized in collaboration with the Nigerian Trademarks Registry —gathered at the United Nations House, Abuja, North Central, Nigeria with government stakeholders and IP experts to share success stories and reflect on the project’s impact on their businesses.
The event kicked off with welcome remarks delivered by the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, represented by the Registrar of the Trademarks Registry, Dr. Shafiu Adamu Yauri; as well as the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment, Ambassador Nura Abba Rimi, represented by Director, Federal Produce Service and Inspection, Danfa Sule; and Director of the WIPO Nigeria Office, Oluwatobiloba Moody,.
Also present to commemorate the successful completion of the project were key stakeholders in the Nigerian Small and Medium Enterprises sector, including the Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Charles Odii; Director-General, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Ms. Nonye Ayeni, represented by Director General, Women Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (WCCIMA) Onoga Ella, Acting Managing Director/CEO, Abuja Enterprise Agency, Ms. Weyinmi Eribo, Counsellor, IP for Business Division, WIPO, Chudi Ugwuada Ezirigwe, Christopher Kalanje also joined the event virtually, congratulating the participants and urging them towards leveraging on their learnings from the project to grow their businesses.
During the event, some of the project beneficiaries, including Ms. Faith Dawah of Faitech and Tribes Computer, Ms. Aisha Adebayo of Aish Naturals Cosmetics, Izu Freeman of Capsule Business Technology Limited, Ms. Omolade Kehinde of Hastaj Fresh Fruit Juice Ltd, and Mmaduabuchi Anoro, of Elwin Amanchasis Co., Ltd shared highlights from their journeys through the programme, as well as the impact of the training on both their personal and business growth. The session also included comments on the project by the IP and business mentors in the project – Owner and Managing Partner, O. Kayode and Co Ms. Omolara Kayode; Marketing Manager, Africa, Pngme Ashiwel Ochui; Partner, G. Elias and Co Ms. Simi Oyelude; Director, NatQuest Mohammed Ibrahim Jega; Lead Partner, Infusion Lawyers Senator Ihenyen; and Professor of Law, University of Abuja Professor Kasim Waziri.
The event concluded with the presentation of certificates to programme beneficiaries by the WIPO Nigeria Office Director, Oluwatobiloba Moody, along with Dr. Shafiu Adamu Yauri, the representative of the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Danfa Sule, representative of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and Charles Odii, Director General, SMEDAN.
A product exhibition by the participants also held at the United Nations House, Abuja, as part of the closing event.
“We were able to understand our trademark and what it can do for us. I developed a brand strategy with the help of our mentor, for industrializing our single-origin food products for Nigerian and global markets,” commented Mmaduabuchi Anoro of Elwin Amanchasis Co., Ltd.
