TRADE IN SERVICES IN WEST AFRICA: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHT

Abstract

As the twenty-first century progressively advances, services are increasingly becoming a paradigm for economic performance for countries and their organisations globally in the international markets. There are conceivable innate potentials for trade in services in West Africa, especially with the advent of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) economies, unlike their developed counterparts, are compelled to adhere to the requirements of the intellectual property guidelines because they have to model their intellectual property laws to provide norms. The exercise of IP rights has no protection for indigenous knowledge, thereby exasperating the well-being of developing countries in the context of West Africa, as the situation remains hamstrung over the years. The research work aimed at establishing how intellectual property relates to trade, competitive markets, industrial advancement, and economic growth. Since the efficiency of trade flow is strongly determined by the level of trade facilitation within the countries involved, regulatory efficiency in the form of IP rights is much required for the safekeeping of the creativity of the indigenous knowledge of entrepreneurs to maximally reap the best output returns in trade services. The research summed up that the West African story is pertinent as the region is resource full, with grassroots engagements through entrepreneurship activities in service trade and, if empowered by focus-driven IPRs, which in itself is a trade facilitator, the much-anticipated economic growth, hence economic fluidity is achievable