The COVID-19 pandemic has continued to exert enormous pressure on public health policies and systems, with far-reaching implications. The race for vaccines has raised important intellectual property rights issues. These are evident in the need to advance the public interest and in the obligation of governments to address the challenge of access to vaccines, especially in sub-Saharan countries like Nigeria with relatively underdeveloped healthcare and innovation ecosystems. While the Nigerian Patents and Designs Act (PDA) establishes a compulsory licence regime that affords access to patented drugs, existing public healthcare is severely challenged in providing access to new medicines. This article examines the framework for patent protection of pharmaceuticals designed to meet public health challenges, such as those presented by the pandemic. It recommends the implementation of a government use provision under the PDA, with a view to addressing the challenge of access to COVID-19 vaccines.

COVID-19 大流行继续对公共卫生政策和系统施加巨大压力，影响深远。疫苗竞赛引发了重要的知识产权问题。这在促进公共利益的必要性和政府应对获得疫苗挑战的义务中显而易见，尤其是在医疗保健和创新生态系统相对不发达的尼日利亚等撒哈拉以南国家。虽然尼日利亚专利和外观设计法（PDA）建立了强制许可制度，得到获得专利药品，现有的公共医疗在提供接入严重挑战新药物。本文研究了旨在应对公共卫生挑战（例如大流行带来的挑战）的药品专利保护框架。它建议在 PDA 下实施政府使用条款，以解决获得 COVID-19 疫苗的挑战。