GlobalReport

Global Report: Africa
INTA and Anti-Counterfeiting Collaboration, Nigeria
Celebrate Ten Years
On October 19, INTA held the tenth annual
policy dialogue in Nigeria in conjunction with
the Anti-Counterfeiting Collaboration of Nigeria
(ACC-Nigeria) which addressed the “Cost Effective
Measures and Practical Tactics in Combatting
Counterfeiting & Piracy Activities.” The
program brought together brand owners, regulators,
practitioners, and key stakeholders to
discuss possible cost effective measures and
practical tactics in combating counterfeiting
and piracy. The policy dialogue also celebrated
the tenth anniversary of ACC-Nigeria.
Desmond Adeola (Chairmain of ACC-Nigeria)
provided a welcome address to the attendees
and encouraged them to come together to
combat counterfeiting in order to make the
country a better place for future generations.
Uche Nwokocha (Aluko & Oyebode, Nigeria),
Chair of INTA’s Anticounterfeiting Committee
Middle East and Africa Subcommittee
(pictured left) provided opening remarks.
Ms. Nwokocha spoke about the collaboration
between INTA and ACC-Nigeria and highlighted
INTA’s intention to continue to collaborate with
ACC-Nigeria and other national associations
in the Middle East and Africa. Sola Dosunmu
(British American Tobacco Nigeria & West
Africa, Nigeria) provided the keynote address
and discussed ACC-Nigeria’s goal of bringing
together all parties involved in the tobacco
industry in fighting counterfeits. Finally, the
policy dialogue closed with three discussion
sessions involving brand owners, regulators,
and piracy and entertainment.
Africa Global Advisory Council
Chair
Lara Kayode, O. Kayode & Company,
Nigeria
Council Members
Barbara Berdou, Berdou Attorneys,
South Africa
Anne-Marie Breek, Remgro Management
Services Limited, South Africa
Brenda Kahari, B.W. KAHARI, Zimbabwe
Madelein Kleyn, Oro Agri Inc, South Africa
Stephen Le Feuvre, Lysaght, Channel
Islands
William Mansfield, ABRO Industries, Inc.,
United States
Uche Nwokocha, Aluko & Oyebode, Nigeria
Staff Liaison
Bruce MacPherson, Chief Policy Officer
bmacpherson@inta.org
Association Activities
Unreal Campaign Visits Cape Town, South Africa
On August 31, 2016, Lara Kayode (O. Kayode
& Co., Nigeria) visited the Cedar School of
Art in the Mitchell Plains just outside Cape
Town, South Africa. She was accompanied by
Monique Gieskes (Vlisco Netherlands, B.V.,
Netherlands), who was a session speaker at
INTA’s Building Africa with Brands Conference
in Cape Town, September 1–2.
Ms. Kayode and Ms. Gieskes met with the
school’s principal, David Charles, and their
Unreal “Champion” at the school, Courtney
Edwards, educator, who ensured that they had
all the support they required.
The women made two presentations at the
school, first to approximately 40 students and
a second to about ten Business Management
students from the Cape Peninsula University
of Technology who were interning at the school
during the visit.
The presentation began by introducing INTA
and the work that the Association does with
regard to trademarks and other intellectual
property rights (IPRs).
They played two videos illustrating the dangers
of purchasing counterfeits versus real products.
Utilizing the Unreal Campaign presentation
guidelines, they proceeded to educate the
students on the importance of trademarks. The
students were well aware of many international
brands, but were shocked to learn about
the dangers that counterfeit products pose to
consumers.
Ms. Gieskes informed the students of the long
history of Vlisco in Africa and showed them the
differences in quality of authentic and fake
fabrics, which fascinated the students.
The highlight of the presentation was the quiz,
which made their presentation interactive and
well-received.
The teacher in charge of the class was attentive
and interested in the topic and invited
the INTA representatives back to speak to the
economics class the next day. The 17-year-old
economics students were as enthusiastic as
the students from the previous day.
Brenda Matanga (Matanga IP Zimbabwe),
Akeem Aponmade (A.O. Aponmade & Co., Nigeria),
and Ms. Kayode returned to the school
on September 1, 2016, to make a further
presentation to approximately 40 tenth grade
students (between 15 and 16 years-old) and
received the same positive reception.
In addition to being astonished at what they
learned about counterfeiting, they were
surprised to find that an organization such as
INTA would take time out to inform them of the
importance of trademarks and the dangers of
counterfeits.
According to the feedback received from the
school, the students thoroughly enjoyed the
presentation and posted pictures of the presentation
on Facebook.
To learn more about the Unreal Campaign,
please visit INTA’s landing page.
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