By Kazeem Waris
Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has proposed the establishment of an Orange Economy Security and Intellectual Property Coordination Desk within an existing structure of the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, to strengthen the protection of Nigeria’s rapidly expanding creative economy.
Disu made the proposal on Wednesday while delivering a lecture to participants of 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,” examined the relationship between security, entrepreneurship and the growth of the country’s creative industries.
The IGP identified film, music, fashion, publishing, advertising, digital content, gaming, tourism, heritage and the arts as key sectors increasingly driven by entrepreneurship, technology and intellectual property.
He said their contributions to employment, investment and national development could be enhanced through stronger security and intellectual property protection.
According to Disu, the proposed coordination desk would provide a platform for specialised policing, inter-agency collaboration, dedicated reporting mechanisms and stronger engagement between the police and stakeholders in the creative sector.
He also called for an intelligence-led and partnership-based approach to tackling organised piracy, counterfeiting, cyber-enabled fraud and other crimes affecting creative enterprises.
The IGP stressed the need for financial investigations, where applicable, to trace proceeds linked to criminal networks operating through payment accounts, digital wallets, advertising revenues, logistics networks and online distribution platforms.
He further advocated stronger collaboration between the NPF, Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC, and other relevant institutions to improve intellectual property protection.
Disu 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 areas requiring greater police attention.
He also highlighted the preventive role of legitimate economic opportunities, noting that credible pathways from talent to lawful income and employment could reduce young people’s vulnerability to criminal activity.
“Piracy, fraud, extortion and other forms of criminality not only undermine businesses but also discourage investment and weaken innovation across the creative economy,” Disu said.
He stressed that policing the sector must balance public safety with the rights and protections necessary for creativity and enterprise to flourish.
According to him, professional, accountable and rights-respecting policing would be critical to building confidence among creators, entrepreneurs and investors.
The IGP reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to working with government agencies, industry stakeholders, creative professionals and communities to strengthen intellectual property protection, secure creative enterprises and create an enabling environment for innovation, investment and legitimate economic activity.
