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How can one protect his or her unique business ideas from being copied by others in Nigeria/other African countries where copyright or trademark infringement is like a normal day in the market.

  • Details on specific legal actions and registration procedures would be highly welcome.
  • And if the legal actions fails what other specific actions can be done to curb the menaces

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8 answers

(1) Patents and copyrights for may ultimately protect you to a degree but the government agencies granting them have no enforcement arm so you must discover a violation yourself, retain a lawyer, bring a court proceeding against a violator and then hope to recover your costs and a reasonable settlement if you win. Therefore, most of my clients initially use non-disclosure agreements (NDA’s) in dealing with other companies.

(2) The best intellectual property protections are well understood, practical, teaming relationships among partners, employees, industry and government. All sides in such relationships lose if disclosure or violations occur.

http://www.smalltofeds.com/2013/06/practical-intellectual-property.html

Report Kenneth's answer

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In my opinion, copycat will always there everywhere in every nation, with whatever ways we protect it, they will always find a way to copy our ideas. Therefore, what something we can do is to be the leader, to be the most reliable, the most relate, and most important is to selling the best quality and service, by that the people will always remember us as the initiator. People will remember who the best not who the first.

Report Aprilluloh's answer

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I am not sure you have something that can be protected. In the United States, you cannot protect an idea. You have to actually create something that is tangible and real, including detail documentation on how it works and how you plan to commercialize it. It looks like you are trying to protect an educational platform focused on crypto currencies. Something that is “abstract” in nature such as a training platform is not subject to patent protection unless you have something very unique about your process.

Example: You cannot protect a unique algorithm that you wrote for a software company unless it is connected to some unique outcome; i.e. if you simply calculate numbers, this cannot be patented. However, if the program interprets a signal from the brain and transforms it into a unique message, then this could be protected by a patent.

I would suggest that you do everything you can to make your platform the best possible user experience. This can include chat rooms, file sharing, video content, and special live sessions with subject matter experts. You want to make it very difficult for others to replicate what you do.

Report Matt's answer

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I Concore with all the expect advise given above.. But let's look at it in the perspective of an African.. Over here in my country.. We have a term that says r ' monkey see monkey do' people who were suspended as a result of insorbodination turn to copy cheaply without a Recourse to ethics and contracts binding parties. Their main aim is to make what u treasured filty and unholy.. Without caring. Their only joy is cheap duplication. It very worrying.. What can be done in such a circumstance..? Do one have to relocate? Do one have to just fold his arms and do nothing??? Any suggestions will do.. Tka

Report Abdala's answer

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There are several steps that can be taken to protect unique business ideas from being copied in Nigeria and other African countries where copyright and trademark infringement is prevalent.

Legal Action: One of the most effective ways to protect your business ideas is to register them as trademarks or copyrights. In Nigeria, you can register trademarks and copyrights with the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and the Trademarks, Patents and Designs Registry (TPDR) respectively. It is important to consult with a lawyer who is familiar with intellectual property law to ensure that your registration is done correctly.

Non-Disclosure Agreements: Another way to protect your business ideas is to have employees, partners, and other stakeholders sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) that prohibit them from sharing or using your ideas without your permission.

Keep Evidence: Keep a record of all your business ideas, such as notes, sketches, and drafts, and date them to prove that you were the first to come up with the idea.

Get Patents: If you have a unique product or invention, you can also apply for patents to prevent others from making, using, or selling your invention without your permission.

Monitor the market: Regularly monitor the market for any infringement on your ideas and take swift legal actions to curb it.

Build a strong brand: Build a strong brand for your business, which will make it more difficult for others to copy your ideas, as they will be associated with your business and not theirs.

If legal actions fails, other specific actions can be done to curb the menaces, such as seeking out alternative dispute resolution methods, such as mediation or arbitration, or reaching out to industry associations or consumer protection organizations for assistance.

Report adekunle's answer

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I am not sure you have something that can be protected. In the United States, you cannot protect an idea. You have to actually create something that is tangible and real, including detail documentation on how it works and how you plan to commercialize it. It looks like you are trying to protect an educational platform focused on crypto currencies. Something that is “abstract” in nature such as a training platform is not subject to patent protection unless you have something very unique about your process.

Example: You cannot protect a unique algorithm that you wrote for a software company unless it is connected to some unique outcome; i.e. if you simply calculate numbers, this cannot be patented. However, if the program interprets a signal from the brain and transforms it into a unique message, then this could be protected by a patent.

I would suggest that you do everything you can to make your platform the best possible user experience. This can include chat rooms, file sharing, video content, and special live sessions with subject matter experts. You want to make it very difficult for others to replicate what you do.

Oct. 18, 2022, 11:23 a.m. REPORT ANSWER [AN] Abdala Nii Boye Entrepreneur AccraGhana Education/Training Recent Activity

I Concore with all the expect advise given above.. But let's look at it in the perspective of an African.. Over here in my country.. We have a term that says r ' monkey see monkey do' people who were suspended as a result of insorbodination turn to copy cheaply without a Recourse to ethics and contracts binding parties. Their main aim is to make what u treasured filty and unholy.. Without caring. Their only joy is cheap duplication. It very worrying.. What can be done in such a circumstance..? Do one have to relocate? Do one have to just fold his arms and do nothing???

Report Joseph's answer

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I am not sure you have something that can be protected. In the United States, you cannot protect an idea. You have to actually create something that is tangible and real, including detail documentation on how it works and how you plan to commercialize it. It looks like you are trying to protect an educational platform focused on crypto currencies. Something that is “abstract” in nature such as a training platform is not subject to patent protection unless you have something very unique about your process.

Example: You cannot protect a unique algorithm that you wrote for a software company unless it is connected to some unique outcome; i.e. if you simply calculate numbers, this cannot be patented. However, if the program interprets a signal from the brain and transforms it into a unique message, then this could be protected by a patent.

I would suggest that you do everything you can to make your platform the best possible user experience. This can include chat rooms, file sharing, video content, and special live sessions with subject matter experts. You want to make it very difficult for others to replicate what you do.

Oct. 18, 2022, 11:23 a.m. REPORT ANSWER [AN] Abdala Nii Boye Entrepreneur AccraGhana Education/Training Recent Activity

I Concore with all the expect advise given above.. But let's look at it in the perspective of an African.. Over here in my country.. We have a term that says r ' monkey see monkey do' people who were suspended as a result of insorbodination turn to copy cheaply without a Recourse to ethics and contracts binding parties. Their main aim is to make what u treasured filty and unholy.. Without caring. Their only joy is cheap duplication. It very worrying.. What can be done in such a circumstance..? Do one have to relocate? Do one have to just fold his arms and do nothing??✂️🪡🧵

Report Joseph's answer

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