Nigeria Becomes the 80th Member of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants

Nigeria has joined the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) as the 80th member of the leading international standard-setting organization in plant variety protection (PVP). President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed Nigeria's instrument of accession to the 1991 Act of the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants that takes effect on March 27, 2025.

Acting Registrar of the Nigerian Plant Variety Protection Office Folarin Sunday Okelola said, “By 2050, the global population is projected to reach 9.1 billion, with Africa—particularly Nigeria—experiencing one of the highest growth rates. As food demand rises, providing farmers with access to high-quality seeds is crucial to ensuring food security. In acceding to UPOV, plant variety protection will drive the continuous development of improved, high-yielding, and climate-resilient crop varieties, benefiting both farmers and the broader agricultural and horticultural sectors.”

UPOV Vice Secretary-General Yolanda Huerta congratulated Nigeria, and said that Nigeria's accession will attract investments in plant breeding, expand access to improved plant varieties for all farmers, and harness PVP as a powerful catalyst for national development. She added that this milestone is a win for Nigeria and the entire global community.

For more details, read the news release from the UPOV website.