By Juliana Francis
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has proposed the establishment of an Orange Economy Security and Intellectual Property Coordination Desk within an appropriate existing structure of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to strengthen security around Nigeria’s growing creative economy.
Disu proposed this on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, while delivering a lecture to participants of the Senior Executive Course 48, 2026, at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State.
The lecture, titled “The Orange Economy and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development in Nigeria: The Role of the Nigeria Police Force,” focused on the connection between security, entrepreneurship and the development of Nigeria’s creative industries.
The IGP said the proposed coordination desk would provide a more structured police response to crimes affecting creative businesses, intellectual property and digital platforms.
According to him, the desk would facilitate specialised policing, inter-agency cooperation, dedicated reporting mechanisms and stronger engagement between the police and stakeholders in the creative sector.
Disu noted that industries such as film, music, fashion, publishing, advertising, digital content, gaming, tourism, heritage and the arts were increasingly being powered by entrepreneurship, technology and intellectual property.
He said their contribution to employment, investment and national development could be significantly enhanced when creators, businesses and their intellectual assets were adequately protected.
The IGP advocated an intelligence-led and partnership-based approach to combating organised piracy, counterfeiting, cyber-enabled fraud and other criminal activities threatening creative enterprises.
He also stressed the importance of financial investigation in appropriate cases, particularly in tracing proceeds allegedly linked to criminal networks operating through payment accounts, digital wallets, advertising revenues, logistics networks and online distribution channels.
On intellectual property protection, Disu called for stronger collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Copyright Commission and other relevant institutions.
He identified the protection of film locations, concerts, festivals, tourism sites and cultural assets as areas requiring greater police attention.
The IGP also highlighted the need to strengthen cybercrime response, preserve digital evidence and maintain sustained engagement with creative communities.
Beyond enforcement, Disu said creating legitimate economic opportunities for young Nigerians was an important component of crime prevention.
He noted that providing young people with credible pathways from talent to lawful income and employment could reduce their vulnerability to criminal activities.
The IGP warned that piracy, fraud, extortion and related crimes could weaken businesses, discourage investment and undermine innovation in the creative economy.
He further stressed that policing the sector should go beyond maintaining public safety to protecting the rights and conditions necessary for creativity and legitimate enterprise to flourish.
According to him, “professional, accountable and rights-respecting policing” is essential to building confidence among creators, entrepreneurs and investors.
Disu said the Nigeria Police Force remained committed to working with government institutions, industry stakeholders, creative professionals and communities to strengthen intellectual property protection, secure creative enterprises and create an environment where innovation, investment and legitimate economic activity could thrive.
The proposed coordination desk, if adopted, would therefore provide a framework for bringing together policing, intellectual property protection, cybercrime response, and stakeholder engagement to address the security challenges confronting Nigeria’s creative economy.
