(c) to any person whether or not he is authorised directly or indirectly by the patentee to make, use,
exercise or vend the relevant article or invention.
17. Paragraphs 15 and 16 of this Schedule shall have effect so as to exempt(a) the Government;
(b) any person authorised under those paragraphs;
(c) any supplier of the Government or of any such person; and
(d) any agent of any such supplier, from liability for the infringement of any patent relating to the
relevant article or invention and from liability to make any payment to the patentee by way of
royalty or otherwise.
18. Where any act is done in respect of an article on the authority of a Minister under paragraph 15 of this
Schedule, then, unless it appears to the Minister that it would be contrary to the public interest to do so, the
Ministry concerned with the act shall furnish the patentee with such information, as to the extent of the act as the
patentee may from time to time require.
19. The revisions of any licence, assignment or agreement made
before or after the commencement of this Act between a patentee and any person, other than the Government, or
a Ministry shall be of no effect in so far as those provisions restrict or regulate the use of a patented article or
invention or provide for the making of payment in respect of any such use, or are calculated by reference thereto.
20. During any period of emergency the powers exercisable in relation to a patented article or invention on the
authority of a Minister under paragraph 15 of this Schedule shall include power to purchase make, use, exercise
and vend the article or invention for any purpose which appears to the Minister necessary or expedient(a) for the efficient prosecution of any war in which the Federal Republic may be engaged; or
(b) for the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community; or
(c) for securing a sufficiency of supplies and services essential to the well-being of the community; or
(d) for promoting the productivity of industry, commerce and agriculture; or
(e) for fostering and directing exports and reducing imports (or any class or classes of imports) from all
or any countries and fear redressing the balance of trade; or
(f) generally for ensuring that the whole resources of the community are available for use, and are used,
in a manner best calculated to serve the interests of the community.
21. Where a patented article is purchased, made, used, exercised or vended by or on behalf of a government
agency, the benefit of this Part shall extend to the agency and to persons acting in any capacity on its behalf.
22. This Part shall apply to a patented article forfeited under any law relating to customs and excise; and, on any
such forfeiture, the Government may use or sell the article as if it had been imported for the use of a government
agency in Nigeria.
23. In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires- "articles" includes(a) any drugs or pharmaceutical preparations, substances or materials; and
(b) any plant, machinery or apparatus, whether fixed to the land or not after importation,
patented under the law of a country other than Nigeria;
"export" means export from Nigeria;
"Federal Republic" means the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and includes any State of the Federation;
"Government" means the Federal Government, and includes the Governor of any State of the Federation;