A Nigerian inventor, Olusegun Adeleye has accused the European Patent Office (EPO) of stealing his invention, a solution to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from coal and natural gas.

Adeleye, who briefed newsmen in Abeokuta, Ogun State, said the invention could have generated €1.5 billion for Nigeria and created millions of jobs.

He said having spent about 29 years researching and developing the technology, the EPO allegedly hijacked his application and prevented him from obtaining patent protection.

He claimed that the EPO’s actions were intentional and aimed at depriving him and Nigeria of the benefits of his invention.

He added that he has written to the European Union and the World Intellectual Property Organization, WIPO, to seek assistance in resolving the matter, saying that EPO’s actions are a clear case of intellectual property theft and bullying.

He, however, urged the Federal Government to investigate his claims, while seeking redress for the country, which according to him stands to benefit more from the invention

His words: “I call on the government of President Bola Tinubu to investigate this matter because this is an invention worthy of lowering our unemployment rate, and insecurity and earning foreign exchange for the country.

“This case highlights our challenges as African inventors in protecting intellectual property rights and accessing global markets.

“It also underscores the importance of supporting African innovation and intellectual property rights to drive economic development and address global challenges like climate change.”