The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, psc(+), NPM, has proposed the establishment of an Orange Economy Security and Intellectual Property Coordination Desk to strengthen the protection of Nigeria’s creative economy and tackle crimes affecting creators and businesses in the sector.
Disu made the proposal on Wednesday while delivering a lecture, titled “The Orange Economy and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development in Nigeria: The Role of the Nigeria Police Force,” to participants of Senior Executive Course 48, 2026, at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State.
The proposed desk, which could be domiciled within an existing structure of the Nigeria Police Force, would support specialised policing, dedicated reporting mechanisms, inter-agency collaboration and stronger engagement with stakeholders in the creative sector.
The IGP identified organised piracy, counterfeiting, cyber-enabled fraud and other criminal activities as threats to creative enterprise, noting that they can weaken businesses, discourage investment and undermine innovation.
He advocated an intelligence-led approach to tackling these crimes, including financial investigation, where applicable, to trace proceeds linked to criminal networks operating through payment accounts, digital wallets, advertising revenues, logistics networks and online distribution channels.
Disu also called for stronger collaboration between the Police, the Nigerian Copyright Commission and other relevant institutions to improve intellectual property protection. He identified the security of film locations, concerts, festivals, tourism sites and cultural assets, as well as cybercrime response and preservation of digital evidence, as areas requiring greater attention.
The IGP noted that Nigeria’s creative economy, spanning film, music, fashion, publishing, advertising, digital content, gaming, tourism, heritage and the arts, is increasingly driven by entrepreneurship, technology and intellectual property.
He further linked the security of the sector to youth empowerment, noting that legitimate pathways from talent to income and employment could help reduce young people’s vulnerability to criminal activity.
Disu stressed that effective policing of the creative economy must protect public safety while respecting the rights required for creativity and enterprise to thrive, adding that professional and accountable policing would help build confidence among creators, entrepreneurs and investors.
The proposed initiative reflects the changing security needs of an increasingly digital economy, where intellectual property theft, cybercrime, unauthorised distribution and financial crimes can directly affect creative businesses and investment.
The Nigeria Police Force said it would continue to work with relevant government institutions and industry stakeholders to strengthen intellectual property protection, secure creative enterprise and support innovation and legitimate economic activity.