By Ebinum Samuel
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, psc(+), NPM, today , 16 September 2026, delivered a lecture to participants of the Senior Executive Course 48, 2026, at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State, where he proposed the establishment of an Orange Economy Security and Intellectual Property Coordination Desk within an appropriate existing structure of the Nigeria Police Force.
The lecture, titled “The Orange Economy and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development in Nigeria: The Role of the Nigeria Police Force,” examined the relationship between security, entrepreneurship and the growth of Nigeria’s creative industries, with emphasis on the role of law enforcement in protecting intellectual property, businesses, digital platforms and other assets that support the sector.
The IGP noted that film, music, fashion, publishing, advertising, digital content, gaming, tourism, heritage and the arts are increasingly driven by entrepreneurship, technology and intellectual property. He stressed that these industries can make a stronger contribution to employment, investment and national development where creators, businesses and their intellectual assets are adequately protected.
As part of measures to strengthen the Force’s response to crimes affecting the sector, the IGP proposed that the envisaged coordination desk should support specialised policing, inter-agency collaboration, dedicated reporting mechanisms and improved engagement with relevant stakeholders.
He further advocated an intelligence-led and partnership-based approach to tackling organised piracy, counterfeiting, cyber-enabled fraud and other criminal activities affecting creative enterprise. The IGP also emphasised the importance of financial investigation, where applicable, in tracing proceeds linked to criminal networks operating through payment accounts, digital wallets, advertising revenues, logistics networks and online distribution channels.
On intellectual property protection, the IGP called for stronger collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Copyright Commission and other relevant institutions. He also identified the protection of film locations, concerts, festivals, tourism sites and cultural assets, improved cybercrime response, preservation of digital evidence and sustained engagement with creative communities as key areas requiring greater attention.
The IGP also highlighted the preventive value of legitimate economic opportunities, noting that providing young Nigerians with credible pathways from talent to lawful income and employment can help reduce vulnerability to criminal activity. He stressed that piracy, fraud, extortion and other forms of criminality can weaken businesses, discourage investment and undermine innovation.
The IGP further stressed that effective policing of the sector must protect both public safety and the rights required for creativity and enterprise to thrive, noting that professional, accountable and rights-respecting policing is essential to building confidence among creators, entrepreneurs and investors.
The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to working with government institutions, industry stakeholders, creative professionals and communities to strengthen intellectual property protection, secure creative enterprise and provide an enabling environment for innovation, investment and legitimate economic activity to thrive.
